1931 – 2005

Apraham Gosdanian was born November 4, 1931 in Aleppo, Syria to the proud parents of Levon and Narineh Gosdanian. He was one of four children, two of whom he lost at a young age, leaving him as a very protective brother to his younger sister Azadouhi. Mr. Gosdanian met and married his wife Archalous in 1971, and was blessed with two children Levon and Anie.

He moved to Canada in the winter of 1980 at the insistence of his wife and made his home in Toronto. He was a very well known member of the Armenian community in both Syria and in Lebanon, a factor which did not change upon his move to Canada. Being in a foreign country, he craved the life he had back in the Middle East, whereby he immersed himself in the Armenian community in Toronto. The opening of the A.R.S. Day School and later on, the Armenian Youth Centre, were achievements by the Armenian community that Mr. Gosdanian was extremely proud to be a part of. His wish for all Armenian Youth to have a place to grow and learn was now whole. Considering the Armenian community and his family to be the two pillars of his life, he ensured that both aspects were deeply embedded within each other.

His lifelong dream was achieved when he was able to visit Armenia with his wife in September of 2004. Unaware that his body was being ravaged by a disease that would later take his life, he ensured that he enjoyed every moment of his trip to Armenia with a dream to settle there in his older age. Upon the end of his trip, the only pleasure he found in his return to his home in Canada was to be reunited with his family, particularly his grand-daughter Meghety, who was his ray of sunshine.

On May 24, 2005, Mr. Gosdanian passed away in Toronto, Ontario, two weeks after the birth of his Grandson and namesake. His life was always dedicated to his family and the Armenian Cause. He is survived by his wife, 2 children and their spouses, and 2 grandchildren.