Obituary of Mary Gulamerian
Mary Elizabeth Krimmel Alexander Gulamerian, 92, of Watchung, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2019 surrounded by her four living children. She was born January 18, 1927 at 512 Garden Avenue in Webster Groves, Missouri. In between those dates was the long beautiful life of a magnificent mother and wife, a devoted daughter, a fantastic grandmother, a great sister, a beloved and favorite aunt and great aunt and of course a great friend to the many who loved her.
Born Mary Elizabeth Krimmel, the fifth of six children of Gertrude Lillian and Charles Ludwig Krimmel. Among her siblings, Charles, Buddy, Trudy, Jane and Peggy, she was known as “The Rebel”. She attended Lockwood Elementary School in Webster Groves and graduated from Webster Groves High School in 1944, where she was president of the Girls Athletic Association and lettered in Basketball and Archery. She received a full academic scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mary married Harvey Weston Alexander February 9, 1952. He died at the young age of 38 on February 2, 1961. Even with this tragedy Mary, 34 at the time, gave their 5 children, Christopher (8), Rebecca (6), Seth (5), Eve (4) and Jennifer (7 months) a happy life. In 1969 she married Norman Gulamerian, an artist and co-founder of Utrecht Art Supplies, and moved to Watchung, New Jersey. They would have had their 50th wedding anniversary June 14th of this year. Raised Episcopalian, she was an active member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves, Missouri. Mary became a Quaker after moving East. She was actively involved for many years at her meeting house, the Plainfield Friends Meeting House in Plainfield, New Jersey. Mary was an avid New York Times reader spreading the paper across her kitchen table every day. She clipped pertinent articles for her children which they referred to as “homework”. She was a wonderful and experimental cook, never afraid to try something new and unusual. This was true in all areas of her life, she was always ahead of her time.
Mary was predeceased by her beautiful son Christopher Weston Alexander (1971). She will be loved forever by her children, Rebecca Alexander, Seth (Jaime d.2017) Alexander, Eve (Steve) Balboni and Jennifer (Peter) Pagano.
She is adored by her five grandchildren, Daniel (Kate) Balboni, Matthew Balboni, Michael Balboni, Elizabeth Pagano and Tommy Pagano and her two great grandchildren, Gabriel Balboni and Gemma Balboni.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 13th at 11:00 a.m. at the Plainfield Friends Meeting House in Plainfield, NJ. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Plainfield Friends Meeting House. Please note that the Meeting House is having some construction done. higginsfuneralhome.com
