Seta Degirmenjian (1941-2009)

Seta was born on March 29, 1941 in Aleppo, Syria. In 1958 she married Kevork Degirmenjian, and a few years later was blessed with daughters Varti and Ani. While being a loving mother and wife, Seta was drawn into the Armenian community through her love of singing. She sang at the church and would receive requests to sing as a soloist in various community events. In 1978, Seta and her family moved to New York to pursue a better life for her children. Even as a new immigrant, she was welcomed by the local Armenian community at St. Peter’s Armenian Church. Over there, she was a member of the “Ladies Guild” and also a member of the church choir. After Varti married and moved to Toronto, Canada, Ani’s love for her sister drew the rest of the family to Toronto to stay close to each other. Soon afterwards, Seta felt comfortable in her new hometown and immediately began participating in the Hai Getron Armenian community of Toronto. She joined St. Mary’s Armenian Church choir, served as a member of its committee, and continued to sing in various choirs in the community. Aside from being a loving and caring wife and mother, Seta was a vibrant and fun grandmother to her four grandchildren. Unfortunately, Seta was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2006, immediately cutting short her active and youthful life. After putting up a strong fight for 3 years, she lost her battle and passed away one week short of her 68th birthday on March 22, 2009.