Khatoun "Hilda" DerHaroutunian Ladah

Khatoun Boghos DerHaroutunian, affectionately known to her family and friends by her Baptism name as Hilda, was born on November 30, 1943 in Beirut, Lebanon to Boghos DerHaroutunian and Berjuhe Derminjian, who were survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Both parents lived in Marash, Cilicia, 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 wife and a child during the forced march 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 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 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 the Arabian American Oil Company (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. 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 would be expected to compete with Aramco for local Saudi resources needed by Aramco for the company’s long term expansion 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 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. 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 children to participate in after school activities including swimming, soccer, little league baseball and Karate, and helped the community to maintain them.

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 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, to pass the art of Marash Embroidery to the next generations of Armenians. Hilda posted most of her work on her web site: armenianembroidery.tripod.com and palestinianembroider.tripod.com.

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 six grandchildren: Helena, Michael (Micah), Rania, Dunia, Michael (Mikey) and Hilda.

Funeral services for Hilda, officiated by Father John of St Michael's Antiochian Orthodox Church will be held at Palm Mortuary Northwest in Las Vegas followed by private internment, attended by family only. The Ladah family kindly requests that donations be given to the charity of your choice, in lieu of flowers.

A visitation for Hilda will be held Friday, January 31, 2025 from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Palm Mortuary - Northwest, 6701 North Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89131. A funeral service will occur Friday, January 31, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 6701 North Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89131. A committal service will occur Friday, January 31, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Palm Northwest Mortuary & Cemetery, 6701 N Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89131.