An Observer who Remembered

Armodoxy for Today – An Observer who Remembered

This week the Armenian community throughout the world bid farewell to Osheen Keshishian who entered his eternal rest at the age of 91. Just like Cher and a few others, he was known by one name. When you said Osheen everyone knew who you were talking about. Within the Armenian world he known as a walking encyclopedia of Armenian knowledge. Before AI enhanced search engines, before Google and even before Encyclopedia Brittanica, Osheen was a source for solid information about all things Armenian as well as a quick link to just about any Armenian in the world, from the most obscure nightwatchman in a factory in Idaho to the most renowned. From writer William Saroyan to astrophysicist Victor Hambartsumyan, Osheen could make that connection. In fact, he was asked by the Armenian government to be a member of the delegation which returned Saroyan’s ashes to Armenia.

With a degree in Anthropology, Osheen Keshishian was a scholar of the Armenian world, particularly the Diaspora. In 1970 he launched and published the Armenian Observer weekly newspaper and for over 50 years he chronicled and documented the story of the Armenian Diaspora on the pages of his newspaper. In 2023, newspaper went the route of so many other papers in this age of digital media. Exasperated by Osheen’s declining health, the last issue of the Armenian Observer came out without a note or a message of its demise.

For those of our regular followers, you may remember that last year this time, I shared with you a series of daily messages about the “forgotten.” Among them was a lady name Silva who sits in a prison cell for the last two decades with murders and assassins, for a crime she did not commit. For those of you hearing this for the first time, Silva was abused for twenty-five years by her husband. After trying to resolve the situation by going to family, friends and even the police, and not finding resolutions, in desperation she believes her only way out of the violence is through an act of violence and puts her mind to be rid of him for good. Attempting murder is as far as she got. Her attempt was foiled. According to the law, trying to kill someone is enough to land you in prison and that it did. Abused for 25 years, and now twenty years in jail.

I have visited Silva throughout the years, first in jail and now in a maximum security prison in Southern California. Generally, I find her to be optimist, living with hope that soon she will be paroled. She’s especially pleased when she has the seldom visitor, so I was surprised when I met up with her during the Summer of 2024 and found her unusually sad. She told me she was discouraged and disappointed. Of course, you’d expect those emotions from someone in her situation, 25 years abused by a husband and 20 years imprisoned for being abused and tortured. Anyone with a pulse would be discouraged and disappointed. But this was unusual for Silva. I asked why? Her discouragement, she explained, was from being forgotten. “Everyone has forgotten me. Even Osheen stopped sending me the Armenian Observer!”  I didn’t let a second pass before interrupting her lament, “Oh no! Osheen has stopped publishing the Armenian Observer!”  She looked at me with relief. It turned out that Osheen had been sending her the paper since her incarceration, to keep her abreast of the activities of the Armenian community. For her the arrival of the newspaper through those punishing walls was a weekly reminder that she wasn’t forgotten. Who would have known. And who knows how many other prisoners, whether in jails or in the confines of their homes, were touched by this man’s generosity. Here was a great man, who interacted with the superstars, presidents and prime ministers, and yet had the compassion and humility to extend himself to the the hurting.

I was alone, afraid and depressed and you reached out and consoled me, said our Lord Jesus.
When did we see you depressed? Afraid or alone?
He responded, When you have done it to the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done it for me. (Matthew 25)
May God rest the soul of Osheen Keshishian and may his memory inspire all of us to do what is right.

For more:
Osheen Keshishian: An Armenian Icon
Forgotten: Victim and Prisoners