Main Gate, Magazine of the American University of Beirut
Spring Vol I, No. 3
In Memoriam
Haroutune Kalayan (BSE ’46), who was born in 1908 in Aintab, Turkey,
died on December 21, 2003, at the age of 95. In 1915, after his older
brother and father were massacred in the Armenian genocide, he moved
with his mother and brother to Aleppo, where he attended Aleppo
College. He then came to the American University of Beirut, where he
graduated with a BS in engineering.
In 1937, he married Berjouhie Shirajian and moved with her to Cyprus,
where he taught at the Melkonian College for a few years. After
Lebanon gained its independence, he returned to Beirut and worked at
the Lebanese Department of Antiquities and also taught part-time at
AUB’s Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. He is known for his
restoration of the ancient ruins in Lebanon and received the Said Akl
Award for his work.
In 1978, he went to Jordan and worked with its Department of
Antiquities until he retired in 1989. Shortly after his retirement,
he moved to the United States to live with his children. He is well
known in the archaeology community, and during his lifetime gave many
lectures in the Middle East and Europe on the ancient sites he loved
so much, among them Palmyra, Baalbeck, Anjar, Sidon, Byblos, Jerash,
and Petra.
His two daughters, Alice Ispentchian and Shoushan Samman; five
grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren survive him.
Garo S. Matossian (MD ’49) passed away surrounded by family on March
11, 2004, at his son’s home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was 83. Born
Garabed Setrak Matossian in 1921 in Aintab, Cilician Armenia, he was
the son of Professor Setrak Matossian of Central Turkey College and
educator Eliza Ayvazian Matossian. The Matossians and their children
were forced into permanent exile in 1922 during the aftermath of the
Armenian genocide. They eventually settled in Aleppo, Syria.
Matossian graduated first in his class from the medical school of the
American University of Beirut, where he met his future wife,
historian Mary Allerton Kilbourne. He immigrated to the US in 1952 to
continue his studies at Harvard University’s School of Public Health.
He was married in 1954 and became an American citizen in 1958. After
holding medical positions in Boston and in Buffalo, New York,
Matossian joined the Yater Clinic in Washington, DC, where he
remained for 28 years and served as chairman of its board. While
professor of hematology at the Georgetown University School of
Medicine, he received the Vicennial Award for teaching. He also was
attending physician at Georgetown University Hospital, Washington
Hospital Center, and Sibley Memorial Hospital. Matossian was a fellow
of the American College of Physicians and resided for 40 years in
Bethesda, MD.
Long active in Armenian affairs, Matossian was a steadfast supporter
of the Armenian Assembly of America (Fellow Trustee), the Armenian
General Benevolent Union, the National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research, the Armenian Library and Museum of America, and
the Armenian Numismatic Society.
He is survived by his wife Mary, daughters Lou Ann, Kristine, and
Michele Irene, and sons Viken Raffi and Mark Garo.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress