Preserving Handwritten Heritage

Susan Khatchikian was born in Yerevan, Armenia, on November 28, 1951. During the genocide, her mother moved to Kalamata, Greece, and returned to Armenia in 1946. Her father had fled to Abkhazia, Russia from Western Armenia, and later returned to Armenia as well. As a child, Susan helped her mother and two sisters make handmade rugs, and also loved playing tennis in school.
While pursuing her interests, Susan also took sewing classes, becoming a skilled seamstress. At seventeen, she married and at eighteen had her first child, my dad, and my aunt four years later. In 1975, she and her family immigrated to America. At that time, her son was four years old, and her daughter was one year old. In America, Susan found her profession in antique rug restoration and attended college, earning a degree in culinary arts.
My nana Susan has always been a source of joy, with her love of the color green, her loud laugh, and her light-hearted nature. Today, you are most likely to find her gardening, lovingly bickering with her husband, or playing Narde. I am forever grateful for her dedication to teaching me backgammon from a young age, and now I fondly recall participating in family tournaments.  I fondly recall her luck with the dice and my grandpa's frustration at her winning streaks. In our family, she is known as the luckiest.
Coming home to hear my nana yelling "Dooshes" (Double 6 in Turkish) and waiting for my turn to test my luck is a cherished memory. She played a large part in my childhood, always encouraging me, playing soccer with me, and lending me her cheery attitude. When I think of my nana Susan, I think of the color green, her infectious laugh, and a cheerful childhood spent outdoors. Nana Susan is a source of comfort and a reminder of blissful times, and even my middle name.