Dr. Gregory Eramian

ERAMIAN, Dr. Gregory…

Gregory (Greg) Michael Eramian passed away peacefully after many years of several serious health problems on Friday, June 3, 2022 in London, Ontario in his 81st year.  Loving and devoted husband of the late Linda Grace Haskell Eramian for 42 years, without whom he always said that he could never have imagined his life and whose untimely death at age 64 in 2012 from an extremely rare cancer deeply affected him for the rest of his life.  Beloved son of the late Aram and Nuvart “Nellie” (nee Ogassian) Eramian.  Predeceased by his beloved sister Jeanette Eramian in 2014.  Loving father of Dr. Mark Eramian and his wife, Nicole of Saskatoon and Dr. Laura Eramian and her husband, Dr. Peter Mallory of Halifax.  Loving “Grandpa E” of Julia and Hannah Eramian of Saskatoon and Natalia Eramian-Mallory of Halifax.

Greg was born in 1942.  From early childhood, when his parents introduced him to the joys of the public library, Greg was a lifelong bibliophile and voracious reader.  Because of his Armenian heritage, he early on developed a strong interest in languages, linguistics, and other cultures. In 1969, while completing his Ph.D in Slavic Languages at Brown University, Greg began his career teaching Russian language, literature, and linguistics, and later Comparative Literature and Culture, at the University of Western Ontario.  He served as Chair of the former Department of Russian Studies (1977-84) and as Undergraduate Chair of the former Department of Modern Languages and Literatures (2000-05).  In June of 2004, Greg was granted Western’s highest teaching award, the Edward G. Pleva Award for Excellence in Teaching.  In 2006 Greg took early retirement from UWO after 37 years of service because of poor health and was granted the title of Professor Emeritus.

Family, friends, and colleagues will remember Greg’s lively sense of self-deprecating and ironic humor which often surprised people who first met him because of his otherwise serious demeanor.  Greg had a very wide range of interests and hobbies.  He was an avid philatelist and map aficionado.  He loved all kinds of music, from baroque and classical and Armenian sacred and folk music to 50’s and 60’s rock and roll, Hawaiian music, and Preservation Hall New Orleans jazz; a special favourite of his was the music of Scott Joplin.  He was a lifelong gardener, who in more recent years took special pride in his “pesto patch” (sweet basil and parsley garden).  Every fall he made and froze dozens of containers of pesto, to which he treated family and friends.  For over 45 years he was a prolific bread and muffin baker; he specialized in sourdough bread and took great delight in proselytizing among his friends by providing them with samples of sourdough starter.  His other specialties were lavash (Armenian “cracker bread”) and choreg (Armenian sweet egg buns), with which Mark and Laura enthusiastically assisted him when they were children growing up at home.  Family and friends will probably best remember Greg for his signature sourdough chocolate cake.  Greg loved the outdoors and travel; among his happiest times were long summer family car trips when the four Eramians would visit national parks and recreation areas in Canada and the U.S. and hike on trails amidst stunning natural beauty.

During his retirement Greg continued not only with his hobbies, but also with his academic pursuits, turning his attention to Armenian linguistics.  At the time of his death, Greg had just completed the compilation of a comprehensive, 80,000 entry (1,400 pp.) English-Western Armenian dictionary, a project he had dreamed of doing since his teen years.  This dictionary is intended as a pedagogical aid to students of Western Armenian.  The Eramian family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the many superb doctors, nurses, and other health professionals for their many years of dedicated, generous, and humane care of Greg from 2006 until his death.  Cremation has already taken place.  Arrangements entrusted with A. Millard George Funeral Home, 519-433-5184. Memorial donations may be made to the I.V. Therapy Clinic of the London Health Sciences Centre (Victoria Campus) through the London Health Sciences Foundation, 747 Base Line Road East, London, ON N6C 6A7 or to the charity of one’s choice.  Online condolences, memories and photographs shared at www.amgfh.com