Tweet
Daily News Tribune, MA
Feb 22 2007
One last refrain
By Nicole Haley/Daily News staff
Thursday, February 22, 2007 - Updated: 12:50 AM EST
During World War II, John J. Akillian kept U.S. forces fighting
strong by keeping spirits high.
The late Waltham real estate agent made a lot of friends as a band
director in the Army entertainment corps, performing with the likes
of legendary film actor Mickey Rooney and comic actress Martha Raye.
Akillian died Sunday at the age of 85, leaving behind friends and
family whose lives he forever changed.
"He was a gentleman in every sense of the word," recalls Jennifer
LaBouliere, senior director of Community Relations at Waltham
Crossing, the assisted living facility where Akillian spent his final
days. "He just had that old school gentlemanly way about him - he was
like a Dean Martin."
Indeed Akillian was a man from a different era. A pianist, composer,
and band arranger, Akillian attended the New England Conservatory of
Music and formed a swing band in the 1930s known as the Johnny Akill
Band. The band performed in nightclubs and hotels throughout Boston
and Cape Cod.
Stationed at Camp Otis on Cape Cod during World War II, Akillian
brought his music to the U.S. armed forces, crossing paths with
several now legendary entertainers along the way.
"Tony Bennett took a liking to a lot of my father's original
compositions," said his daughter, Louise Akillian of Lincoln. She
said her father told the future Grammy Award winning artist "no
dice."
"He was very proud of his own skills," she said, adding that she and
her sister began music lessons at a very early age at her father's
urging.
It was at Camp Otis that Akillian met his wife, the late Virginia
(Kolodziey) Akillian, who was there as a secretary to an Army
officer. The couple married on Cape Cod and settled in Waltham where
Akillian started his real estate firm, J.G. Akillian, Inc.,
contributing to the post-war housing development boom. Of all his
passions, Louise Akillian said family was always her father's first
priority.
"First was family and second was his music," she said. Louise
Akillian said her parents created a household dedicated to family
togetherness and rich with tradition as John Akillian was second
generation Armenian and his wife was second generation Polish.
"Together they created a very solid, very committed family."
Akillian suffered an illness and was hospitalized for nine months
last year. But he fought to come back even stronger and engineered a
recording of wartime love songs in the fall. He personally presented
the compilation to Patti Page - the country to pop music crossover
sensation who sold more records than any other female vocalist during
the 1950s - when she played at the Reagle Players theatre in
September. Akillian visited her backstage to deliver a copy of his
recording. Reached via e-mail yesterday, Page remembered Akillian as
a friend and important musician.
"I worked so many times in the Boston area and John was one of the
great musicians that always made it enjoyable," Page wrote.
Akillian continued spreading joy with his music right into the last
week of his life. Every day, Akillian practiced piano for two hours
at Waltham Crossing, LaBouliere said, much to the delight of his
fellow residents who listened eagerly from down the hall. LaBouliere,
who remembered Akillian checking into the home in a wheelchair,
described him as a determined but modest man who always dressed
impeccably. In less than a year, Akillian progressed from a
wheelchair to moving freely through the home with his cane, she said.
"He always had a smile," LaBouliere said, adding that everyone at
Waltham Crossing - from dining room servers to department heads -
knew him and loved him.
Aside from his music, Louise Akillian said her father was also an
astute historian reading up on the Middle East and Armenian history
whenever he had the chance. He consumed biographies and poetry and
was partial to watching cooking shows when relaxing in front of the
television. The renaissance man taught his daughters to indulge
passions and pursue dreams.
"He was a very determined and willful person and if there was
something he wanted to accomplish, he would," Louise Akillian said.
In addition to his daughter Louise, Akillian leaves another daughter,
Gayna Akillian of Acton; his brother Richard and his sister Anahid
Keshishian; and his grandchildren Elisabeth, Caroline, Alexander, and
Benjamin. Services were held with burial in Ridgelawn Cemetery in
Watertown.
Feb 22 2007
One last refrain
By Nicole Haley/Daily News staff
Thursday, February 22, 2007 - Updated: 12:50 AM EST
During World War II, John J. Akillian kept U.S. forces fighting
strong by keeping spirits high.
The late Waltham real estate agent made a lot of friends as a band
director in the Army entertainment corps, performing with the likes
of legendary film actor Mickey Rooney and comic actress Martha Raye.
Akillian died Sunday at the age of 85, leaving behind friends and
family whose lives he forever changed.
"He was a gentleman in every sense of the word," recalls Jennifer
LaBouliere, senior director of Community Relations at Waltham
Crossing, the assisted living facility where Akillian spent his final
days. "He just had that old school gentlemanly way about him - he was
like a Dean Martin."
Indeed Akillian was a man from a different era. A pianist, composer,
and band arranger, Akillian attended the New England Conservatory of
Music and formed a swing band in the 1930s known as the Johnny Akill
Band. The band performed in nightclubs and hotels throughout Boston
and Cape Cod.
Stationed at Camp Otis on Cape Cod during World War II, Akillian
brought his music to the U.S. armed forces, crossing paths with
several now legendary entertainers along the way.
"Tony Bennett took a liking to a lot of my father's original
compositions," said his daughter, Louise Akillian of Lincoln. She
said her father told the future Grammy Award winning artist "no
dice."
"He was very proud of his own skills," she said, adding that she and
her sister began music lessons at a very early age at her father's
urging.
It was at Camp Otis that Akillian met his wife, the late Virginia
(Kolodziey) Akillian, who was there as a secretary to an Army
officer. The couple married on Cape Cod and settled in Waltham where
Akillian started his real estate firm, J.G. Akillian, Inc.,
contributing to the post-war housing development boom. Of all his
passions, Louise Akillian said family was always her father's first
priority.
"First was family and second was his music," she said. Louise
Akillian said her parents created a household dedicated to family
togetherness and rich with tradition as John Akillian was second
generation Armenian and his wife was second generation Polish.
"Together they created a very solid, very committed family."
Akillian suffered an illness and was hospitalized for nine months
last year. But he fought to come back even stronger and engineered a
recording of wartime love songs in the fall. He personally presented
the compilation to Patti Page - the country to pop music crossover
sensation who sold more records than any other female vocalist during
the 1950s - when she played at the Reagle Players theatre in
September. Akillian visited her backstage to deliver a copy of his
recording. Reached via e-mail yesterday, Page remembered Akillian as
a friend and important musician.
"I worked so many times in the Boston area and John was one of the
great musicians that always made it enjoyable," Page wrote.
Akillian continued spreading joy with his music right into the last
week of his life. Every day, Akillian practiced piano for two hours
at Waltham Crossing, LaBouliere said, much to the delight of his
fellow residents who listened eagerly from down the hall. LaBouliere,
who remembered Akillian checking into the home in a wheelchair,
described him as a determined but modest man who always dressed
impeccably. In less than a year, Akillian progressed from a
wheelchair to moving freely through the home with his cane, she said.
"He always had a smile," LaBouliere said, adding that everyone at
Waltham Crossing - from dining room servers to department heads -
knew him and loved him.
Aside from his music, Louise Akillian said her father was also an
astute historian reading up on the Middle East and Armenian history
whenever he had the chance. He consumed biographies and poetry and
was partial to watching cooking shows when relaxing in front of the
television. The renaissance man taught his daughters to indulge
passions and pursue dreams.
"He was a very determined and willful person and if there was
something he wanted to accomplish, he would," Louise Akillian said.
In addition to his daughter Louise, Akillian leaves another daughter,
Gayna Akillian of Acton; his brother Richard and his sister Anahid
Keshishian; and his grandchildren Elisabeth, Caroline, Alexander, and
Benjamin. Services were held with burial in Ridgelawn Cemetery in
Watertown.