RIVER FALLS, WI - Catherine Sahakian was born December 1, 1922 in Racine, Wisconsin and passed away on July 25, 2015 at the age of 92. Catherine and her identical twin were the first of 7 children born to her parents. Her father was born in Tomarza, Turkey and immigrated to the United States in 1910 before World War I and the Armenian genocide. Her mother who was orphaned during the war married her father and emigrated from Turkey to the U.S. in 1921. Her family ran a shoe repair store and egg business. She attended Lincoln Elementary, McKinley Junior High and Horlick High schools (Class of 1941). In 1949 Catherine married her husband who worked as a carpenter and locksmith in Racine. She worked various jobs including the first office secretary at A&E Mfg Company, a legal stenographer at Walker Mfg Company, and office manager/bookkeeper at Wisconsin Plating Works where she worked for 25 years before retiring. Catherine was a member of St. Mesrob Armenian Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher, member of the Ladies Auxiliary and Women's Guild, and helped establish the St. Mesrob Retirees group. She was also a long-time officer of the United Tomarza Association, a social group for Armenian survivors from the village of Tomarza in Turkey. Her pastimes included interior/seasonal decorating of her cream city brick home and ballroom dancing. She had a lively personality and humor which endeared her to many of the people she interacted with. Catherine is survived by her son, two daughters, one daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, one brother and three sisters.Funeral services for Catherine will be held at St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church on Friday, July 31, 2015 at 10 a.m. with Rev. Yeprem Kelegian officiating. Interment will follow at Graceland Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the church on Friday morning from 9 a.m. until the time of the service at 10 a.m. Memorials may be directed to St. Mesrob Church.