Martha was becoming a successful business entrepreneur from the Boston area and decided it was time to expand her sales into the Midwestern region, and particularly Chicago. Going against her families’ arguments (“a young woman travelling alone”) she took her first flight to an area she had never been, excited to meet a potential customer, Marshall Field’s Department store. Shortly after arriving she discovered her appointment had been cancelled. While rescheduling her appointment in an outdoor telephone booth on the streets of Chicago, Martha gazed across the street and to her surprise saw an Armenian church! Being Armenian herself she was intrigued so “I dropped the phone and walked over.”  Meeting the Armenian priest on the steps of the church who explained that there were many Armenians in Chicago and invited her to come to a Sunday service. Martha politely nodded with no intention of going. When Sunday rolled around and being bored while waiting for her weekday appointment,” I was becoming bored.” She decided to attend the service. Following the service, it was announced there would be a picnic outside the city and the priest recognizing Martha invited her to come. She got in the car with several parishioners, one being Armen.

Armen came to Chicago along with his family from Armenia training to be a doctor. He too indicated he was not that religious but as fate had it, he decided to go to church that day after ‘not getting much sleep.”  So, Armen together with Marsha drove together to the picnic. Armen says “I was intrigued by this woman and when they returned to Chicago, he asked for her phone number with the intention of going out on a date. Martha replied “no, but I’ll take yours” and she departed.

That very next week she returned to Chicago for business and decided to call Armen. Upon taking the call and giving her name he stated, “who are you?” She assumed by his response that he had many girlfriends. This did not stop her though and they continued meeting each other on her return trips to Chicago. On one occasion while visiting an art museum together Armen could not get out of the parking lot due to a parade, so they decided to watch the parade. It was a sweltering day and one marcher in the parade fainted; someone called out for a doctor. Armen came to their aid, impressing Martha.

Martha made a total of eight trips to Chicago. On the eighth trip, they were married!