PHILADELPHIA — Koudsy Mikaelian died on April 19, 2020. She was 89.
She was born in Aleppo, Syria, the daughter of Abraham and Makrouhi Basmajian. One of six siblings, she moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where she married her childhood sweetheart, Diran Mikaelian, in 1950.
She graduated from Beirut College for Women with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
In Beirut, Koudsy achieved recognition in the Armenian community, early on, through her volunteerism and literary works.
The family immigrated to the United States in 1970 and settled in the Philadelphia area. Koudsy enjoyed her life in Philadelphia, and was passionate about serving the Armenian community. She regularly attended services and organized events at St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church and St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Philadelphia.
Koudsy was a prolific writer in both Armenian and English. For many years, she regularly published articles in Baikar, an Armenian-language weekly based in Watertown, the Armenian Mirror-Spectator and the Armenian Reporter. She also wrote several books in both Armenian and English.
