Obituary for Helene Vartanian Meghrian
Helene Vartanian Meghrian, age 94, living in Peoria Illinois passed away on Wednesday February 28th, 2024. She died of natural causes in her sleep. Her home community of Lutheran Hillside Village has been her place of residence for the last 12 years.
Helene was born on September 19th, 1929, in Jamaica Plain, a suburb of Boston Massachusetts, to Setrag and Sarah Vartanian. She was the youngest of three children who grew up in Boston.
Helene Vartanian married John Meghrian of Brooklyn, New York on 27 May 1956 in Boston.
She graduated from Burdette College of Boston, and then attended the Kree School of Electrolysis where she was licensed to practice. She moved with her husband to different cities on the east coast, California, and eventually New Orleans where they settled for the next 30 years. She continued her electrolysis practice until the time she had children, and then returned to her practice after her sons moved away to college.
In New Orleans, Helene raised her two sons, John-Christopher and Robert David, as a full-time mother.
Helene was active in many civic organizations including the Women’s Organization Propeller club of the port of New Orleans, Ladies auxiliary, New Orleans Opera Association women’s guild, Chamber of Commerce Women’s organization of Greater New Orleans, Louisiana Maritime Museum, Children’s house Montessori, Childrens house Montessori West – as founder, Jo Ellen Smith Hospital Auxiliary, Gardeners of America Club, PEO chapters in Florida and Peoria.
Helene and John often represented the Port of New Orleans to visiting national and international dignitaries at numerous events hosted by Governor Edwin Edwards and New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu.
Appointed by Governor Edwin Edwards, Helene served as the Commissioner and founding member of the Louisiana State Board of Electrologists. She was instrumental in setting up standards of licensing and safe practices for the industry in the state of Louisiana. Additionally Helene undertook training in applying permanent cosmetic make up on women using tattooing techniques.
Retirement hobbies included family, shopping, reading, cards, croquet, international travel, going on cruises, and shopping. She is survived by sons John-Christopher, Robert David, and Robert’s wife Ann Henry. Her 6 Surviving grandchildren are Sarah, James, Mary, Leah, Faith, and Barrett Meghrian. She is preceded in death by her parents, Setrag and Sarah, her husband of 66 years John Meghrian, her brother and sister Rose and Harry Vartanian.
A family service will be held at home for immediate family. A Public celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday March 11, 2024 at Lutheran Hillside Village Chapel. Cremation was accorded and she will be buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Boston Massachusetts.
A special thanks to our devoted family physician Dr. George Gilbert, the staff at Lutheran Hillside Village, OSF ICU team, and OSF Hospice in Peoria all for their extraordinary care and comfort at this special time.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lutheran Hillside Village Foundation, 6901 N. Galena Road, Peoria Ill 61614. Correspondence may also be sent there. Friends and family may sign the online guestbook by logging on to www.csmico.com
The Cremation Society of Mid-Illinois Co. Pekin/Peoria is assisting the family with arrangements.
To plant a tree in memory of Helene Vartanian Meghrian, visit the Tribute Store.
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