Asdghig “Starrie” Alemian, one of the last Armenian Genocide survivors in Massachusetts and a strong presence at every Genocide commemoration at the State House, died on September 5, 2019. She was 109, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator reported.
She was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, which took the lives of her parents and brothers, leaving her orphaned at age 5. She lived in an orphanage in Syria until 12 years old when her uncle Garabed Tetezian assisted her and her sister Anna in coming to the United States.
Starrie worked alongside her husband in running Alemian’s Delicatessen for more than 30 years.
Beginning in the 1980s, Alemian was honored yearly at the State House for Armenian Martyrs Day. On her 90th birthday, she traveled to Egypt and Syria with family, revisiting parts of her childhood.
She liked to celebrate her birthdays at the Red Parrot in Hull.
She was skilled at needlepoint, Armenian needle lace, piano and cooking.