Introduction

This website was created in 1998 by Khatoun (Hilda) Derharoutunian Ladah in memory of her beloved parents, Boghos (Paul) Derharoutunian and Berjouhi Dermenjian Derharoutunian. Her purpose in establishing the website was to promote the art of Armenian embroidery and encourage young Armenians to learn this art and teach it to their descendants, thus keeping the art of Armenian embroidery alive for future generations of Armenians.

This website is specifically for Armenian embroidery of Marash origin. It is also called Armenian interlaced embroidery, also referred to as Marash embroidery. It is called Marash work after its city of origin in present-day Turkey. Armenian embroidery is also known by other names; one such name is Maltese embroidery, as it was introduced from Armenia to Malta and Europe during the Middle Ages. Hilda passed away on January 23, 2025, and this site has been revised to honor her memory and recognize her contributions to the beautiful and unique Armenian art of Marash embroidery.

Khatoun Boghos DerHaroutunian, affectionately known to her family and friends by her Baptismal name as Hilda was born on November 30, 1943, in Beirut, Lebanon, to Boghos DerHaroutunian and Berjuhe (Tervanda) Derminjian, who were survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Both parents lived in Marash, Cilicia, in Anatolia, present-day Turkey, their ancestral home for centuries and under the threat of harm, were expelled from Cilicia to the Syrian desert. Hilda was the youngest of eight siblings, three brothers and five sisters. This would be her father’s second family, for he had lost his first wife and a child during the forced march into the desert as Armenians were expelled from Marash and other parts of Cilicia.

Hilda was raised in Beirut and attended various Armenian schools in Anjar and Beirut, and graduated from the Armenian High School. She attended Nursing School of the American University of Beirut (AUB) for one year and was advised by her doctors to drop the program due to a chronic swelling of her ankles. She worked as a secretary for various firms including Federal Mogul in Beirut and later for the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Hilda met Mike in September 1967 during a visit Mike made from Detroit to Beirut, and by June of 1968 Hilda and Mike were married and on their way to live and work in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, for Aramco.

Hilda worked in Aramco’s Local Industrial Development Department with economist Dr. Bill Hostetler, for whom she had the utmost of respect and admiration. Her work culminated in producing two consequential documents for Aramco. The first was a directory of Saudi suppliers, which Hilda produced and validated through contracted surveys which was essential for Aramco Purchasing to reach a targeted 85% of its purchases through Saudi suppliers, including representatives of U.S., European and Japanese manufacturers. The second document was a list of major construction programs by the Saudi Arab Government that were planned and that would be expected to compete with Aramco for local Saudi resources needed by Aramco for the company’s long term expansion program especially for the Master Gas Program; this document was heavily relied on by Aramco to plan, design and construct full-service construction contractor housing facilities throughout the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In addition, Hilda worked closely with her supervisor Peter Blonde where they designed and implemented a computer system for use by Aramco’s Community Services to assign and track housing to Aramco’s senior staff and intermediate staff employees in all of Aramco’s operations throughout the Eastern Province. Hilda was the go-to person in these accomplishments.

While in Saudi Arabia, Hilda raised her family, worked in Aramco and attended university level classes at the management training center in Dhahran. Hilda earned a Bachelor of General Science degree through the distance learning program of the University of Indiana and earned most credits for M.A. in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. She encouraged her three children to participate in after school activities including swimming, soccer, little league baseball and Karate, and she helped the community to maintain the activities programs.

After 22 years of life in in Saudi Arabia with Aramco, Hilda returned with Mike to the USA to live in Las Vegas, Nevada which provided the perfect weather to promote her pulmonary and respiratory wellness. In Las Vegas, she was active in the Armenian Apostolic Church and served in various positions, including Chairperson, on the Parish Council. She continued leisure travel with Mike and other members of the family. She also started an Armenian embroidery web site and produced numerous embroideries made with her own hands, to pass the art of Marash Embroidery to the next generations of Armenians. Hilda posted most of her work on an older web site which has been renovated website and its contents transferred to the new web site www.armenianembroidery.org

Hilda was predeceased by her parents, and all of her siblings except her sister Mary Ghazarian. She is survived by her husband Michael, her three children Lydia, Salim and Ramzy, and seven grandchildren: Helena, Michael (Micah), Rania, Dunia, Rima, Michael (Mikey) and Hilda.

Funeral services for Hilda, officiated by Father John of St Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church were held at Palm Mortuary Northwest in Las Vegas followed by private internment, attended by family only.

The following were Hilda’s words regarding Armenian Embroidery:

Several of the embroidery items photographed in this web site were made by my mother, some were made by her and others were collected from various source. I will treasure these exquisite and beautiful pieces which have a very special place in my home and in my heart.