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The Armenian Reporter | February 6, 2010Community Marty Kanayan in Aparan, Armenia, presiding over the interment of his father, General Dro, in 2000.In Memoriam: Marty Kanayanwalked in dad’s footstepsEdward D. Jamie, Jr.Funeral Chapel208-17 Northern Blvd. Bayside, NY 11361Licensed in New York and New JerseyServices Available in All Churches &Locations(718) 224-2390(888) 224-6088N. Lael Telfeyan, Ph.D., LCSWCounseling and Psychotherapywith Individuals, Families and CouplesAdults and Adolescents140 West 97th St.New York, NY 10025By appointment 917-975-3109 24 Windsor RoadGreat Neck, NY 11021e-mail: nlael@aol.com by Tom VartabedianHousToN7 – Growing up in thestreets of Watertown, MA, Mardiros(Martin) Kanayan was his father’skeeper.As the proud son of Armenianfreedom fighter General DroKanayan, he had big shoes to fill.At AYF conventions, he served asa leader and worthy ambassadorfor his peers. At demonstrationsand other political gatherings, hisArmenian was impeccable. His demeanorwas one of respect and admiration.Wherever Marty Kanayan ventured,the image of his famous dadwas sure to follow --- the man whoinstigated the fight for liberationwhile leading the charge at BashAparan and Karakilese during the1915 genocide era .“My father had a deep feelingof national pride toward the Armeniannation,” said his son Dro.“Two of his greatest moments in lifewere when he saw Armenia becomeindependent in 1991 and returninghis father’s remains to the homeland.“My father was also a proudAmerican military veteran, believingwe live in the greatest countryof the world,” his son continued.“He used his success in America tohelp the Armenian nation.”Mr. Kanayan died Dec. 26 aftercelebrating Christmas with hisfamily by his side. He was 71 andmaintained an active Armenian-American lifestyle in Texas beforetaking ill several yeArs ago.Marty was born in Bucharest,Romania, son of the late Gayaneand Dro Kanayan, and also lived inGermany, Italy and Lebanon beforesettling in Watertown in 1951 atthe age of 13.He graduated from NortheasternUniversityandservedwiththeArmySignal Corps. He was employedby Shell Oil Company in sales andmarketing and as an economist inShell’s Pecten International beforeretiring in 1997.Marty took an active interest inthe Republic of Armenia. In 1998,he was invited to attend the 80thanniversary of the First IndependentRepublic at which time the Armeniangovernment asked to havehis father’s remains exhumed andreburied in Aparan.Two yeArs later, he and hisfamily, including his mother (acentenarian), realized that dream.Gayane Kanayan taught orphanedArmenian children and supportedmany refugees escaping fromCommunism who found their wayto Romania. She continued hermission with the Ars and helpedestablish the Sophia HagopianEndowment and the “Bnag MehGeragoor” fund to support underprivilegedArmenians throughoutthe world.“The reception my father receivedfrom the Armenian governmentand people moved him deeply,”said the son. “Growing up, dad alwaysunderstood the importanceof Dro’s legacy and tried to continuehis ideals of protecting andsupporting the people, both in Armeniaand the Diaspora. It was aresponsibility he maintained withdignity throughout his life.”Like his father, Marty was alifelong member of the ArF andassisted many organizations likethe Armenia Fund. He organized acommittee to help a girl from Armeniareceive medical treatment inHouston.He remained active in the Armeniancommunity, continuinghis support of the ArF and otherArmenian organizations, making anumber of visits to the homelandwith a caring and benevolent handextended. He helped start an ArmenianPolitical Action Group inHouston and continued helpingthe country on a national level byadvising on different projects thaterupted.In the outside world, Marty enjoyeda friendly game of golf andfollowed the sports scene closely.“Dad was always a person whofought for what he believed,” saidPhilip, a second son. “He didn’t believepeople should be complacentand tried to encourage Armeniansto stay involved, even if they wereremoved. He loved his wife with allhis heart and in his waning yeArs,continued taking cruises with herbecause he felt she needed the relaxationtime.”On more than one occasion, theywere aboard the Costa Mediterraneanfor the Armenian HeritageCruise, mingling with one Armenianpassenger after anotherwhether Marty knew them or not.He was easily one of the more popularguests on board, given his lineageand notoriety.Though his health became tenuousat the end, Marty never failedto reflect upon the positive side.“There’s nothing he wouldn’t dofor his wife Alice and two sons,”said the younger Dro. “He workedto provide for his family and wenever had to worry about things.Dad would roll out the red carpetwith a white horse and carriage forhis wife.”Marty wed the former AliceDaghlian in 1967, the gal he hadmet from the Watertown AYF whowas the sister of his best friendLee. In addition to his parents, hewas predeceased by three brothers,Luther, Suren and Gourgen, leavingbehind a sister, Olga Proudianof Watertown; his only grandchildGrace; two daughters-in-law, Lynnand Catherine Grace, and severalnieces and nephews.The 2000 project to return GeneralDro’s remains to his homelandturned into an extravaganza ofsorts at Mount Auburn Cemeterywhere the body had rested. ProminentArmenian and American officialswere on hand for the occasionin what turned into a memorableevent.“When the government discussedthe idea, they wanted to erect a memorialstatue for my grandfather,”said the younger Dro. “He hadwanted to be buried in his homelandamong his people but due tothe politics at the time, his wisheswent unanswered.”But Marty knew his dad mayhave relented at such a public spectacle.It was more about helpingthe people, not statues and monuments.Marty finally conceded andworked with the Republic of Armeniato develop the current memorialin Aparan, towering over thecountryside as a beacon of gloryfor motorists and mountaineersalike.Marty also worked diligently inestablishing the Dro Institute forNational Security Studies, which ispart of Armenia’s Ministry of Defense,and where memorial contributionsmay be made via ArmeniaFund USA, Inc., 80 Maiden Lane,Suite 301, New York, NY 10038.“One of the last things he saidto me was the ultimate praise anyson would want to hear,” Dro concluded.“He told me what a wonderfuljob I was doing in raisingmy daughter Gracie. That meant alot to me.”f