FLUSHING, NY - Anahid Bojekian, a resident of the New York Armenian Home here, passed away on December 26, 2000 at the age of 96.

She was born to Bagdasar and Ellena Der Anastasian on December 3, 1904 in Pireus, Greece where her father fled to avoid the Turkish oppression. She was baptized Aghperantz Anahid. After the death of her mother in Greece, she and her father returned to Constantinople, having first settled in Armenian communities in France and Bulgaria.

In 1921, at the age 16, she arrived in America to marry the brother of family friends, Hagop Beudjekian, who had been in New York for several years prior. Throughout her first years in America, Anahid put aside many personal tragedies and made a priority of earning a livelihood. She found employment, which made use of her talent as a seamstress, and after many years in New York's fashion industry she worked up to assistant designer in the Molly Parnis house.

Anahid's interests in performing, which she had developed as a young girl in Europe, were given an opportunity through the Armenian Church. In 1930 she joined a newly organized chorus within the church and eventually sung with the choral groups of Grigor Suny, Mihran Toumajian and Hampartsoum Berberian. When the Gomidas Choir of the Diocese was organized, Anahid became a member and remained active for twenty-five years.

Anahid enjoyed many appearances on the Armenian stage, working with the Zarifian troupe and alongside prominent actors like Terasan Shahen, Smirnoff and Norian. Anahid performed from 1941 until 1965. Anahid was intensely involved in church and diocesan work, having served as a chair in the St. Vartan Guild and the Diocesan Auxiliary.

In 1986 Anahid was honored as Mother of the Year by the St. Vartan Cathedral Guild. During a program in her honor, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian gave his personal greetings.

Anahid had a great passion for Armenian culture, the language and her church.

Throughout her life, Anahid made time for travel, which she enjoyed fully, having made many trips to Armenia, Europe, Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Rumania, South America, Asia, The South Pacific, the Middle East and throughout the North America as well.

Anahid's husband, the late James (Hagop) Bojekian, predeceased her in 1970. Her daughter Alice Meyer also predeceased her in 1984.

Anahid is survived by her son Edward Bojekian of Fort Lee, New Jersey; four grandchildren: Stephen Bojekian and Constance Sarkissian of New Jersey, Anita Fugate of South Carolina and Dennis Meyer of North Carolina; twelve great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at St. Vartan's Cathedral in NYC. Funeral arrangements were made through Edward Jamie Funeral Director, Flushing, NY.