Helen Heghine (née Derbarghamian) Deraprahamian, Born September 11, 1931 in Aleppo, Syria. The second child of eight, of genocide survivors, Vahan and Sara Derbarghamian from Kharpert (Elazig), Turkey.

Helen and her husband Zaven, along with their three children, Ara, Sossi and Ashod, immigrated to Hartford, Connecticut in August of 1960. Zaven preceded her in death in September, 2014.

Helen and her family were longtime residents of West Hartford. Along with her husband Zaven, Helen helped at Zaven‘s Tailor Shop in the Elmwood community of West Hartford for many years.

Helen was a devoted member of St. George Armenian Apostolic church in Hartford and also in their Ladies Guild association. She delighted in helping prepare Armenian traditional foods for the church’s social events. She also enjoyed teaching to other members of her community, how to prepare traditional foods from her Armenian ancestral homeland.

Helen is survived by her three children and their spouses, Ara and (Sonia) Deraprahamian of California, Sossi Derian, Ashod and (Hasmik Ohanyan) Deraprahamian, along with her four grandchildren, Armen, Anoush, Sara and (Ken Koopmans) of Michigan, Aram and her great grandchild, Gracie.

Helen is survived by four brothers, Garabed of Valence France, Hagop of California, Mardiros and Sarkis of New Jersey, and numerous loving sister-in-law‘s, nephews nieces, cousins and a host of longtime friends.

We would like to make a special mention of Mary Walsh, who is the daughter of one of Helen‘s best friends, Betty Walsh. Mary and her husband Danny were very attentive to our mother’s needs during her time of hospice and a source of great comfort to our mother.