Richard Stanley Kanjian

Richard was a loving husband to Carol J. Kanjian of North Eastham, MA, and a wonderful father to Karen F. Kanjian of Blowing Rock, NC, Melissa A. Kanjian of Philadelphia, PA and the late Sherie A. Kanjian of Ware, MA. He was also the adored “Pop-Pop” of John “Jack” and Anna Spade, and Jasper and Cyrus Kanjian. He also leaves behind two nephews, Michael and Mario Orciari, the sons of his late sister, Nancy Kanjian.

Born and raised in Springfield, MA, he told his children many stories about early mornings delivering newspapers in the 1940s, attending Springfield Technical High School in the 1950s (with pictures of him sporting a slicked down, greased up ducktail haircut to prove it). After graduation, he worked for a number of years at American Standard Time Company, then joined the military and was stationed in West Germany. After many years spent serving his country, he returned to the U.S. and worked as an electro-optical engineer at Kollmorgen Corporation in Northampton, MA (the one purchased by L3-Harris in 2012, not the one making motors and automation platforms!). He loved that company and his job and was never happier than when he was solving problems using math and science.

A quietly intelligent man who loved to read, he devoted himself to a lifetime of learning. His main passions were history, politics and jazz – and fixing just about anything that broke around the house. He was kind and patient with his children and grandchildren, meticulously crafting dollhouses, playhouses, skate-board ramps and soapbox racers for them. If the family needed a dining room table with chairs—well, he would design and then fashion a beautiful dining room set of polished wood in no time. Generous with his time as well, he took his family to ball games and museums, and went fishing, bumper-car racing, camping, and ice skating with them. He spent hours feeding the ducks in Forest Park with toddlers and waiting in mall parking lots for teen-aged daughters to return without complaint.

Richard was an avid animal lover—especially devoted to his late dog companion Rodney. He also loved traveling, first through Europe while in the military, and later in life with his family to Thailand, Hawaii, Panama and Europe. The burial and memorial service will be quiet and private, for family only—as fitting for a quiet and private man. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.ALZ.org, the Dementia Society of America at www.dementiasociety.org, or the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, MA at www.support.givetocapecodhealth.org