The Armenian International Women’s Association sorrows over the loss of longtime and dedicated member Flora Jane Dunaians, a dear founding member of the AIWA-LA Affiliate and former Board member of AIWA International.

“A driving force, warm, enthusiastic and passionate, Flora’s long time contribution to AIWA and her mission inspired us all,” said Silva Katchiguian, President of AIWA International. “She never missed an opportunity to bring people and ideas together to become engaged in building communities and nation. We express our sincere and deepest condolences to her daughters Gigi and Suzie and to all her family members and friends,” added Katchiguian.

Flora, along with Elizabeth Agbabian, Hermine Janoyan and the late Savey Tufenkian and Jasmine Mgrditchian were the driving force that lay the foundation for establishing the AIWA Los Angeles Affiliate. Together, with a team of others, they organized galas and events that successfully engaged communities in AIWA’s philanthropic endeavors developing the collective leadership for positive changes in the lives of women.

A valued member of AIWA, Flora, and her late husband George were active supporters of the Armenian American community in the diaspora and in Armenia and Artsakh. Following the 1988 tragic earthquake in Armenia, and after Armenia’s independence, she and her husband arranged for emergency supplies to be flown to Yerevan and co-founded Developmental Services for Armenia, a non-profit organization that helps schools and orphanages. Among the many other noteworthy organizations to which Flora contributed time and resources, she served the Armenian Assembly of America, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, the Mother Holy See of Etchmiadzin, National Board of Team Armenia, and the Armenian Professional Society.

A friend and sister to all whom she met, Flora lived by her faith, served her community and homeland with genuine selflessness and opened her home and heart to all without exception. She will be dearly missed by all her AIWA “kooyrigs,” a term she coined in reference to the sisterhood of AIWA.
May she rest in peace.”