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Eulogy: Vahram Danielian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/02/05/eulogy-vahram-danielian/
By Contributor // February 5, 2014
The following eulogy was delivered on Jan. 11, 2014, at the funeral of
Unger Vahram Danielian.
Your eminence Srpazan Anoushavan Tanielian, ARF Central Committee
representatives, Homenetmen Central and Regional Executive Board
representatives, distinguished guests, sireli unger-ungerouhiner,
yeghpayr-kouyrer:
I would like to say a few words on behalf of the "Rosdom" Gomideh, the
local Florida chapter of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
January 1, 2014 was a very significant day for us.
On the first day of the New Year, we had to learn to function as a
community having lost our father--one of the key founding fathers of
our community.
In our lifetime, we rarely meet individuals like Unger Vahram Danielian.
I would like to talk about Vahram Danielian the man, and not just the
accomplished community leader,Unger Vahram or Yeghpayr Vahram.
I would characterize him as a gentle giant...always willing to help,
meaning to help and helping.
Unger Vahram worked hard not only to succeed as an entrepreneur and a
family man, but he took the responsibility of fatherhood for his
community on his shoulders and he did it with class.
He always worked as a humble servant. He was not only an executive and
decision-maker, but also a worker and a major contributor in many
ways.
He not only decided to build a community center, but he organized the
fundraisers and he was the first to reach into his own pocket and
donate generously.
He not only organized the volunteers, but he rolled up his sleeves and
jumped on the project.
Many of us here remember how he built the altar of Saint Gregory
Armenian Church in Fort Lauderdale with his own hands.
Vahram was a man who selflessly served his people, the organizations
he belonged to, the Armenian Church, and ultimately his beloved
country, Armenia.
He always had a kind smile and sincerely loved his friends, and he
approached them as a father figure.
People would turn to him for advice on personal or organizational
issues, and he would always take his time and enlighten them, make
other's problems his and find wise solutions to them, just like a
father would do.
Earlier, I characterized Unger Vahram as a gentle giant.
He sure was a kind, gentle person, but he was also a no-nonsense kind
of guy. He didn't care if you mistreated him on a personal level, but
if you dared to hurt his country, his people, or the organizations he
served, you knew you would be in trouble...
Unger Vahram was a distinguished whistleblower. He would never let a
person take advantage of the organizations he cherished. He was the
honest guardian of the fort he was assigned to. He was always the most
respected person in any given group of people. He was notorious for
his righteousness and trustworthiness.
He was mostly surrounded by people who admired him... And since he was a
consummate whistleblower, he naturally had a few opponents who envied
his greatness and straightforwardness.
After all, even Christ was stoned and ridiculed, but the evil-doers
disappeared one by one.
Unger Vahram, being a typical Tashnagtsagan--or dibar Tashnagtsagan, as
we say in Armenian--never sought recognition or fame for his selfless
devotion to his people...
During his tenure as a community leader, he was invited to meet with
President Bill Clinton, and he's had meetings with at least two
Armenian presidents since our Republic was established. He was even
invited to the presidential palace of Greece for a high-level meeting.
All these accomplishments made him even more humble than he naturally was.
One of his latest accomplishments was to raise $12,000--literally in a
matter of hours--for Syrian Armenian relief... Again, he was the first to
chip in generously.
A few months after that, he was diagnosed with cancer...
Despite that, he continued to attend to his community service in an
active way until only a few weeks before he passed away.
When we visited him about a week before he passed away with a few of
our ungers, Unger Vahram was thrilled to see us... He opened his eyes
and extended his hand to us... We all held his hand firmly... He smiled...
And that's when we felt that we were holding the hand of a great man
for the last time... We knew that from that point on, Unger Vahram was
not the unger we loved, we respected, we looked up to... Unger Vahram
was already a legacy...
That's when we realized the secret to the longevity of the ARF: Dibar
Tashnagtsagans like Unger Vahram Danielian.
Hoghuh Tetev Kah Vrat, Unger.
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2014/02/05/eulogy-vahram-danielian/
By Contributor // February 5, 2014
The following eulogy was delivered on Jan. 11, 2014, at the funeral of
Unger Vahram Danielian.
Your eminence Srpazan Anoushavan Tanielian, ARF Central Committee
representatives, Homenetmen Central and Regional Executive Board
representatives, distinguished guests, sireli unger-ungerouhiner,
yeghpayr-kouyrer:
I would like to say a few words on behalf of the "Rosdom" Gomideh, the
local Florida chapter of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
January 1, 2014 was a very significant day for us.
On the first day of the New Year, we had to learn to function as a
community having lost our father--one of the key founding fathers of
our community.
In our lifetime, we rarely meet individuals like Unger Vahram Danielian.
I would like to talk about Vahram Danielian the man, and not just the
accomplished community leader,Unger Vahram or Yeghpayr Vahram.
I would characterize him as a gentle giant...always willing to help,
meaning to help and helping.
Unger Vahram worked hard not only to succeed as an entrepreneur and a
family man, but he took the responsibility of fatherhood for his
community on his shoulders and he did it with class.
He always worked as a humble servant. He was not only an executive and
decision-maker, but also a worker and a major contributor in many
ways.
He not only decided to build a community center, but he organized the
fundraisers and he was the first to reach into his own pocket and
donate generously.
He not only organized the volunteers, but he rolled up his sleeves and
jumped on the project.
Many of us here remember how he built the altar of Saint Gregory
Armenian Church in Fort Lauderdale with his own hands.
Vahram was a man who selflessly served his people, the organizations
he belonged to, the Armenian Church, and ultimately his beloved
country, Armenia.
He always had a kind smile and sincerely loved his friends, and he
approached them as a father figure.
People would turn to him for advice on personal or organizational
issues, and he would always take his time and enlighten them, make
other's problems his and find wise solutions to them, just like a
father would do.
Earlier, I characterized Unger Vahram as a gentle giant.
He sure was a kind, gentle person, but he was also a no-nonsense kind
of guy. He didn't care if you mistreated him on a personal level, but
if you dared to hurt his country, his people, or the organizations he
served, you knew you would be in trouble...
Unger Vahram was a distinguished whistleblower. He would never let a
person take advantage of the organizations he cherished. He was the
honest guardian of the fort he was assigned to. He was always the most
respected person in any given group of people. He was notorious for
his righteousness and trustworthiness.
He was mostly surrounded by people who admired him... And since he was a
consummate whistleblower, he naturally had a few opponents who envied
his greatness and straightforwardness.
After all, even Christ was stoned and ridiculed, but the evil-doers
disappeared one by one.
Unger Vahram, being a typical Tashnagtsagan--or dibar Tashnagtsagan, as
we say in Armenian--never sought recognition or fame for his selfless
devotion to his people...
During his tenure as a community leader, he was invited to meet with
President Bill Clinton, and he's had meetings with at least two
Armenian presidents since our Republic was established. He was even
invited to the presidential palace of Greece for a high-level meeting.
All these accomplishments made him even more humble than he naturally was.
One of his latest accomplishments was to raise $12,000--literally in a
matter of hours--for Syrian Armenian relief... Again, he was the first to
chip in generously.
A few months after that, he was diagnosed with cancer...
Despite that, he continued to attend to his community service in an
active way until only a few weeks before he passed away.
When we visited him about a week before he passed away with a few of
our ungers, Unger Vahram was thrilled to see us... He opened his eyes
and extended his hand to us... We all held his hand firmly... He smiled...
And that's when we felt that we were holding the hand of a great man
for the last time... We knew that from that point on, Unger Vahram was
not the unger we loved, we respected, we looked up to... Unger Vahram
was already a legacy...
That's when we realized the secret to the longevity of the ARF: Dibar
Tashnagtsagans like Unger Vahram Danielian.
Hoghuh Tetev Kah Vrat, Unger.