Mina Hovanessian Shirvanian was born on July 29, 1928, in Nor Jugha, Iran to Vazganoush, a physician from Javakhk and Hambartsoum, a school principal from Shushi. She was proud to represent both those communities. Sadly, Mina lost her father and two brothers at a very young age. She then moved to Sultanabad with her mother, who was the only female physician in the city. Influenced by her mother’s strong spirit, Mina was an outstanding student and an avid reader. By the sixth grade, she had read every book in the school library.
Mina married Hacob Shirvanian in 1946 and they were therafter blessed with two children, Alice and Armen. Following in her father’s footsteps, she became the principal of the Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School in Tehran. In 1956, the Shirvanians came to the United States through New York harbor on the Queen Mary. They reunited with Hacob’s sister Angel and her family in Springfield, Massachusetts and then went on to join Hacob’s brother Kosti and sister Savey in California, making Los Angeles their home. The Shirvanians became whole again when Hacob’s older sister Anelka and her family joined them in Los Angeles in 1967.
During this time, Mina worked at Prudential Insurance to help support the family and after 35 years, rather than retiring, she chose to be an active participant in her son’s Mi Piace restaurants until the age of 83.
As a community leader and volunteer, Mina’s priority was to ensure that children raised in America would not lose their Armenian identity. She helped charter the first Iranian-Armenian organization in the U.S. and became its first female President. Mina co-founded the AYF Soghomon Tehlirian Hollywood Junior chapter – the first AYF Junior chapter in California – and was an active member and President of the Ferrahian Armenian School PTA. She loved to share Armenian poetry with the community, often taking to the stage to recite poetry and give speeches.
While Hacob held appointments at the State and Federal levels, Mina chose to be the ultimate local volunteer and activist. LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich appointed Mina to the Los Angeles County Lanterman Regional Center Board. She went on to become a role model for many young men and women who followed in her footsteps.
Catholicos Karekin II and Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia honored Hacob and Mina with the church’s highest honor for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the Armenian community. In addition, Mina was recognized by the Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Educational Foundation and Ferrahian Alumni for her dedication and hard work for the community.
Mina Shirvanian with her beloved husband, Hacob
Together, Hacob and Mina supported many Armenian organizations. Through the AEF, they sponsored numerous student scholarships and multiple school renovations in Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk. They also helped finance the ACF Shirvanian Youth Center in Gumri. After multiple trips to Armenia over the past 40 years, Hacob and Mina made a final visit for the opening of the youth center in the summer of 2016.
Most recently, Mina was honored with the Adventist Health Glendale Foundation Courage Award for her fight against cancer. In her 4 ½ year struggle with lung cancer, Mina never wavered. She fought her battle””with grace, dignity and a smile.
Through the years the Shirvanians have been recognized and honored for their contributions and their work. However, it is their love and their marriage of over 71 years that they cherished and celebrated most. She was blessed with two grandsons, Chris and Shant, a grand-daughter-in-law, Melody, and three great grandchildren, Christopher, Sebastian, and Katherine Mina, all whom she loved dearly. She is known for the quote “God has blessed us. We have truly lived the American dream”
