A. Arthur Hanamirian | Trial lawyer, 77

Arsen Arthur Hanamirian, 77, of Huntingdon Valley, a trial lawyer in Philadelphia for nearly 50 years who was active in the Armenian American community, died Friday at Paoli Memorial Hospital of a stroke.

Growing up, Mr. Hanamirian helped out at his family's grocery store in Mount Airy. He graduated from Northeast High School and Pennsylvania State University.

During the Korean War, he served in the Army in West Germany. After his discharge, he earned a law degree from Temple University and then was a lawyer in the Allstate claims department. In the 1960s he and James McEldrew established a law firm in Philadelphia, representing physicians and hospitals. He was highly regarded for his integrity, his son Mark said, and was often asked to be a conflict mediator.

Mr. Hanamirian was past commander of the Knights of Vartan, an Armenian service organization. He was active with the Philadelphia chapter of the Armenian Assembly and the Armenian General Benevolent Union and was a founder of St. Mary Armenian Church in Miami. His maternal grandfather, Donabed Lulejian, was an Armenian educator who chronicled the massacre of Armenians in eastern Turkey in 1915.

Mr. Hanamirian enjoyed winter vacations in Highland Beach, Fla., and summers in Ocean City, N.J., surrounded by his grandchildren.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 50 years, Anna Mirakian Hanamirian; son Michael; a daughter, Lisa Semerjian; a sister; a brother; and seven grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. today at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 101 Ashmead Rd., Cheltenham. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park, Feasterville.