Elsie Tatoian

Elsie V. Tatoian, 84, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and resident of Bettendorf, Iowa peacefully passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2012 surrounded by her immediate family at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus in Davenport, Iowa.

Her funeral mass will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Bettendorf where she was a member. She will be laid to rest at the Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Bettendorf, Iowa or Genesis Health Services Foundation, Davenport, Iowa.

Elsie was born on February 19, 1927 in Deposit New York, the daughter of Monoog and Varvar (Kehian) Vosgerichian. On September 20, 1952, she was united in marriage to Arthur A. Tatoian at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bettendorf.

Elsie was employed as a telephone operator for the former Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, retiring in 1983 after 27 years of dedicated service.

In addition to the church, she was a member of the Armenian Youth Federation, the Armenian Relief Society, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Telephone Pioneers, AARP, and the Quad City Plus-60 Club.

Elsie had a beautiful smile and was a kind and generous person with a heart of gold. She enjoyed meeting people, getting to know them, and was known for striking up conversations with strangers who quickly became friends. She was very proud of her family as well as her Armenian heritage. Known for her hospitality, Elsie loved having guests in her home and preparing an abundance of delicious Armenian food. She loved playing games with her grandchildren, watching musicals on television, and listening to music.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband of over 59 years, Arthur, her daughter, Denise Tatoian of Bettendorf; her son, Michael (Tammy) Tatoian of Middletown, Delaware; her grandchildren, Natasha, Nicholas and Zachary; her extended Armenian family, as well as many wonderful friends who were blessed to know her.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers George and Nishan.

Elsie’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to her doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff who provided extraordinary care and compassion to her.