Osheen 1 — From left, Osheen Keshishian, Dr. Raffi Balian, Avedis Markarian

Arts & Culture Community celebration journalism

Osheen Keshishian Celebrates 90th Birthday at Tekeyan’s Beshgeturian Center

December 5, 2024

by

Kevork Keushkerian

77

ALTADENA, Calif. — The 90th anniversary birthday celebration of well-known journalist, editor, teacher, counselor and public speaker Osheen Keshishian took place on Sunday, November 24, at the Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Beshgeturian Center in Altadena, California.

This unique celebration was organized by two people, namely Avedis Markarian and Joseph Ganimian, who had known and worked with Osheen for a long time. Osheen’s family members and a limited number of Osheen’s close friends, 70 all in all, were invited to this event.

Master of ceremonies Ganimian took to the podium and invited Rev. Fr. Manoog Markarian to bless the food. During the serving of the food, musician Razmik Khatchikyan entertained the audience with selections from Armenian and other composers on the piano.

After the food was served, Ganimian took to the podium again and this time, he gave a brief biographical sketch of the honoree. He then noted that it was going to be an open forum, where everyone was invited to speak about the honoree and recall their relations with him.

Who is Professor Osheen Kehishian? Osheen was born in Jerusalem. He attended the Holy Translators school there until 1948, the Arab-Israeli war, when his family first fled to Amman, Jordan and a year later to Beirut, Lebanon.

Osheen graduated from the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s Hovagimian-Manougian high school for boys in 1955. He attended the American University of Beirut for one year and then immigrated to the United States of America, settling in California.

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Osheen graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, and the University of La Verne with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology and American Studies. He served in the US Army for two years, 1959-61, as a medic, working in Madigan General Hospital, outside Lakewood, Washington.

Osheen was the owner and editor-in-chief of the English language weekly newspaper The Armenian Observer, which was founded in 1969. Aside from his editorial job, he was a professor in the Language Department of Los Angeles City College, following which, he was on the faculty of Glendale Community College for 27 years.

Osheen was a member of the Board of Directors of Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States and Canada for a number of years. He was also a long time member of the Board of Trustees of the Tekeyan Cultural Association Arshag Dickranian school in Los Angeles.

Osheen was on the Committee of the Armenian Genocide Monument, which was erected in 1968, in Montebello. Osheen was entrusted with the transfer of the remains of the famous author William Saroyan to Yerevan, Armenia in 1982. He was invited three times to the White House, once to accompany President of the Republic of Armenia Levon Ter Petrossian.

Osheen is the recipient of the St. Sahag-St. Mesrob Medal, with its accompanying encyclical, from the late Catholicos of All Armenians Vasken I. He has also received the Vartkes Balian award for Journalism, from the Central Board of Directors of the Tekeyan Cultural Association of the United States and Canada.

Now, back to the 90th anniversary celebration. One by one, the following individuals took to the podium to remember how they had met Osheen, how long they had known him, in what capacity they had worked with him and of course to pay tribute to this one-of-a-kind person, who has left his mark in the Armenian community of Southern California.

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator

Topics: celebration, journalism

People: Osheen Keshishian

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Dr. Hovhannes Avedikian praised Osheen for his contrubutions to the Armenian community in Southern California and presented him with a letter of appreciation, on behalf of the Organization of Istanbul Armenians.

Dr. Avedikian was followed by Dr. Hovig, Melidonian, Dr. Guiragos Minassian, Dr. Raffi Balian, Dr. Minas Kojayan, Khatchig Janoyan, Hratch Sepetjian, Mayda Kuredjian, the West Coast Executive Secretary of the Tekeyan Cultural Association, and Osheen’s older brother Dr. Onnig Keshishian. Kevork Keushkerian read a letter addressed to Osheen by the late Kasbar Derderian of Beirut, Lebanon. It was written in 2015. All of the above addressees paid tribute to Osheen for his tireless and valued contributions to the Armenian community.

At the end, the two organizers, Markarian and Ganimian, presented Osheen with a pen, to continue writing articles and especially his memoires, until he becomes a centennial celebrant. The 90th anniversary cake was cut by Osheen and distributed to the invited guests, who wished him good health and a productive life.

Ganimian hinted that a more public 90th anniversary celebration is being organized, probably by the Nor Or publishing company, which will take place in February or March of next year.

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