Mamie Nazarian
Mamie Loraine Nazarian, 98, of Stamford, passed away peacefully Nov 30, 2022. She was born October 13, 1924, where the crawdads sing, in a house on Georges Bayou near Harrisonburg, Louisiana to the late Thomas Edwin and Julia Louvenia Cooper.
They say many hands make light work. In the years to follow, the many hands of Mamie and her 3 sisters worked the family farm, tending to the livestock and picking cotton in the fields. It was a hard life from which Mamie sought refuge in school, earning perfect attendance, faithfully doing her homework each night after evening chores by the light of a kerosene lamp.
In 1940, Mamie lost her mother and inherited all the responsibilities of a farmer’s wife – housekeeping, milking the cows, feeding the animals, vegetable gardening, sewing, cooking, and canning. Upon high school graduation, and desperately wanting to carve out a different life, Mamie sought and was granted emancipation in 1942.
Mamie moved to Monroe, Louisiana and it was here that she met her future husband Greg Nazarian, an Air Force navigator. They were married in 1944 in Greg’s hometown of Boston and welcomed their first of 3 children a few years later.
Greg’s work took their growing family to Massachusetts, Iowa, New York, Delaware, and lastly to Stamford. Mamie made new friends wherever she lived and embarked on her own career with GE Credit that would span 24 years.
Along the way, Mamie discovered a penchant for travel, and visited numerous countries around the world. She loved serving as Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, Ruth Chapter No. 19, and enjoyed many pilgrimages to Las Vegas and Mohegan, playing bridge and scrabble, NYT crossword puzzles in pen, jigsaw puzzles, gardening, cooking, watching tennis, cheering on Saints and Cowboys football, and all family gatherings, especially Christmas.
Mamie is predeceased by sisters Texie Hughes, Daisy Rae Guyon, and Mildred Morgan, and is survived by her children Kenneth Nazarian (Lisa) of Lincoln, MA, Patricia Hess of Stamford, CT, Ruth Deluca (Alan) of Southbury, CT, grandchildren Cory Nazarian (Sarah) of Reading MA, Dr Lauren Hess (Tom) of Cheshire, MA, Amanda Nazarian of Stonington, ME, Michael Nazarian (Lou) of Lima, Peru, Sean Nazarian of Wayland, MA, Peter Deluca of Philadelphia, PA, Jason Nazarian (Val) of Gardner, MA, Andrew Deluca of Norwalk, CT, and great grandchildren Dylan and Connor.
From Mamie’s humble beginnings, hers was a life lived fully, worth remembering and celebrating, considerate and selfless, always wanting better for her family. She will be missed.
Mamie will return to Louisiana Spring 2023, and services will be private at that time. Donations in Mamie’s memory may be made to Ruth Chapter No. 19, C/O Cheryl Mongillo, 6 Glen Berne Dr, Wilmington, DE 19804, or to a charity of your choosing.