Obituary of Taquhi Davidian

Taquhi Davidian

Taquhi Davidian was born on July 18, 1927 at Methodist Hospital in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York. She was one of five children born to Hagop and Nuver Kasakian. She grew up in a brownstone at 206 Garfield Place. Her uncle, Dr. Stephen Svajian, and her father Hagop were very active in the Armenian Church. Hagop would take her to the Armenian Church in New York City, where he was an usher, every Sunday. Her uncle, Dr. Stephen Svajian, was also a lifelong supporter of Armenians and the Armenian Church. He was a member of the building committee for the St. Vartan Cathedral, and was instrumental in helping to locate the property at 630 Second Avenue, New York City.  The matriarch of the family, grandmother Dirouhi Svadjian, was full of wisdom which she shared with her beloved family. Together they gave Taquhi a lifelong love of her Armenian Heritage and the Armenian Church.

Taquhi attended Armenian School at the YMCA in Brooklyn and always credited her teachers (especially Mrs. Terakedjian) for organizing the school and giving her a knowledge of the Armenian language which she used throughout her life. Whenever anyone in the American community heard her first name “Taquhi”, and asked “What kind of name is that? “, she would proudly say “Armenian…it means Queen” and proceed to teach them that “Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity, the first Christian nation”. How many times her family heard her say that to people over the course of her life and how many people learned a little bit about Armenia and Armenians from her!

Taquhi was an excellent student. She attended Manual Training High School in Brooklyn (now John Jay High School) and won many gold medals for language and scholastic achievement. Her achievements and good judgment were recognized in many ways. She was asked by not a few mothers to tutor their children. Some mothers would comment, “Gee I wish my son/daughter was more like you”. Additionally, a group of teachers were considering forming a court for misbehaved students where they would be judged and “sentenced” by fellow students.  One of the students they asked to be a judge, for her sense of fairness, was Taquhi. Alas, the teachers decided not to go ahead with this plan when they realized that the students who were judged might seek retribution from their student judges after school in the school “court”yard. Taquhi continued her education at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. and Hunter College in New York City. She studied Language and Political Science.

When Dr. Nazar Davidian immigrated to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon, he was introduced to Taquhi, the daughter of an old family friend, Hagop Kasakian (both families were originally from Kayseri, Turkey). The couple fell in love and married in 1949. The family moved to Newark, New Jersey in the late 1950s. They became faithful members of St. Mary’s Armenian Church in Irvington, N.J. and Taquhi became a lifelong New Jersey resident. It must be said, however, that in her heart, Taquhi was always a New Yorker. Till her last days she talked about returning to Forest Hills, New York to live among her brother, sister, nieces and nephew in the state in which she was born, raised and loved.

Taquhi gave birth to four children, Yeznick Douglas, Winston Hagop, Christina Perouze and Richard Nazar. Taquhi was the most loving and encouraging mother to her children. She always stressed love of God, Armenian Heritage, education, and of course, being morally good people. Taquhi worked non-stop to create a good Armenian home for her children and husband. The home was always immaculate, children were cared for, tutored, fed, supported and comforted. Taquhi was selfless when it came to her kids, always putting their needs ahead of her own. Each and every night, everyone gathered around the dinner table for a nutritious dinner and a discussion of the day’s events.

Taquhi was extremely supportive of her husband’s medical practice. In a time before cell phones and pagers, she would field calls from sick patients, call the different hospitals Dr. Davidian attended to locate him and have him paged over the hospital intercom system with a message to call home.  After receiving his call, Taquhi would relay the name, number, and problem so that the patient could be called. Few of his patients who received a timely visit or call from Dr. Davidian knew that without Taquhi’s efforts on their behalf, they might wait hours and not minutes to be helped. By the way, this was not included in the daily agenda of most doctor’s wives.

Taquhi was a talented musician who could play advanced classical piano compositions with many fewer years of training than typically required. She loved popular music as well as classical music and enjoyed nothing better than listening to an orchestral concert. The love of language that she cultivated in high school and college stayed with her throughout her life. She took courses in Chinese years before this became a mainstream activity. She loved France and the French Language.  She took a class in French Architecture at Columbia University which included a trip to Paris. After the conclusion of the course she remained in Paris for a few extra weeks so that she could absorb the French culture and spend some time in this city she had always loved from afar. 

Taquhi was a valued employee in the Bamberger’s Department Store chain (now Macy’s), so much so, that when she told her manager that she was leaving to raise a family, he virtually begged her to stay! Once her children were grown, Taquhi spent many years selling residential real estate. She worked with Weichert Realtors in the Summit, New Jersey office. Her clients admired Taquhi’s energy and tenacity in the challenge of finding them a house that they would be able to make into their home.

Taquhi was admired and respected by all who met her. The people who seemed to admire her most were the professionals with whom she came into contact….lawyers, doctors, dentists, etc. Often people who were stars in their professions communicated their satisfaction after realizing that they had earned her trust and respect. (It was not won easily).  They would often tell one of her children of their love and admiration for her.  

Taquhi has always loved cats. While recuperating from a recent illness, her beloved tabby, Colonel, suddenly entered the room and jumped into her lap. She greeted him with a voice that had the sweetness and energy of a little girl discovering a chocolate egg in an Easter basket. For that moment she was no longer a 90 year old woman, but again, that little girl Taquhi from 206 Garfield Place.

Taquhi Davidian was a strong, active woman…a respectful, loving, forthright and moral person. Though she is no longer with us physically, her spirit, her teachings, her life story and most of all her love remain with us every day.

 Taquhi is survived by her four children Douglas, Winston and Richard Davidian, her daughter, Christina and son in law Anthony Mancini, brother Gary Kasakian, sister Anahid Sarkisian, nieces Linda Kirishjian, Sharon Sarkisian and nephew Steven Sarkisian.

Taquhi Davidian

Viewings will be held on Wednesday January 10, 2018   from 2pm-5pm and 7 pm-9pm at the

Fox Funeral Home   98-07 Ascan Avenue   Forest Hills, New York 11375      

tel. (718) 238-7711

Funeral Services will be held on Jan. 11, 2018 at 11:00 am at

St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral   630 Second Avenue   New York, New York 10016  

tel. (212) 686-0710

Following the funeral services, interment will be at

Cedar Grove Cemetary   130-04 Horace Harding Expressway   Flushing, New York 11367

Tel. (718)   939-2041