Lowell Sun (Massachusetts)
May 5, 2007 Saturday

In his parents’ footsteps

By Debbie Hovanasian, Sun Correspondent

CHELMSFORD — Tonight as a couple of hundred Armenians gather at the
Sheraton in Nashua, N.H., for the 105th Assembly of the Eastern
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, the host parish, Saints
Vartanantz of Chelmsford, will have the unique opportunity to see one
of its own — Lowell native John Amboian — honored as Armenian of
the Year 2007.

The first from Saints Vartanantz to receive the honor, and one of the
few to receive it in front of his own parish, Amboian says he’s
"humbled" by the award bestowed on him for more than 50 years of
service to the Armenian Church.

"There are so many others that are as worthy of this," said Amboian,
who at age 75 is chairing the assembly committee for the second time
since 1995.

"John is most deserving of this award," said assembly committe member
Sara Bogosian. "He’s an inspiration, a visionary, a leader — the
backbone of the Armenian community."

Though humble about his accomplishments — which include
participating in the election of two Catholicos (the Armenian
equivalent of the pope) at the Holy Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
Cathedral in Armenia — Amboian is quick to acknowledge the two
people who set the example and instilled the strong faith that
ultimately led to such accomplishments: his parents, Asadour and
Tourvanda Amboian, both of whom were actively involved in their
church.

Amboian fondly recalls living with his parents and two sisters, Rose
and Sandra, in the south end of Lowell, a thriving community where
Armenians who immigrated to the United States following atrocities in
their homeland "lived for blocks and blocks," he said.

The original red brick Saints Vartanantz Church on Lawrence Street in
Lowell, consecrated in 1916 and one of the first Armenian churches
built in America, was the center of the community, said Amboian.

"Every Sunday morning my father would get me up early, get me
dressed, and we’d walk down Gorham Street to church," he recalled. A
special ritual along the way was to stop and get a shoeshine for
about "two or three cents."

At age 9, Amboian became an altar boy and faithfully attended Sunday
services, which lasted nearly two hours. Working behind the soda
fountain at Highland Pharmacy in Cupples Square as a teen was the
only thing that kept him away. "I could only work on Sunday
mornings," he said.

In later years, Amboian joined the U.S. Army and was active in the
Korean Conflict as a radio chief until the cease-fire on his
birthday, July 27, 1953. Upon returning home, he met his wife,
Patricia, in Lowell in 1955. Married in 1958, they had three
children, Michael, John Jr. and Leslie. Today they have seven
grandchildren.

Amboian was actively involved at Saints Vartanantz even though he
worked full-time and attended Northeastern University nights to earn
a degree in business administration. That was only possible because
of his wife’s support, he said.

"If I didn’t have it, I could not have done what I’ve done."

Amboian, now retired, worked Arkwright Insurance, now FM Global, for
36 years, logging in about 60 hours a week and earning his way to
senior vice president.

He still found time to serve on the committee to build the new Saints
Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford, consecrated in 1978. He has held
various leadership positions in the church at the parish, regional
and diocesan levels, served as a member of the St. Nersess Armenian
Seminary board of directors and received the St. Nersess Shnorhali
Medal. He also represented the diocese at National Ecclesiastical
Assemblies in Armenia to elect His Holiness Karekin I (1995) and His
Holiness Karekin II (1999).

Amboian is also a director of the National Council of Northeastern
University; past president of the Boston Chapter of Planning
Executives Institute; past member of the Financial Executives
Institute; a 32nd Degree Mason and Shriner; and treasurer of the
Armenian Genocide Committee (Merrimack Valley).

More than 50 years after accumulating such a distinguished list of
service, Amboian says he will be honored to receive the award
tonight. But it’s his parents who will be on his mind as he is is
recognized as Armenian of the Year.

"My mother and father would be so proud of me," he said. "I’m sure
they’re looking down on me saying, ‘Good job, Johnny, good job.’"

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress