Cynthia L. Shartzer, 56

Cynthia Lynn Shartzer, formerly of East Providence, died unexpectedly while on holiday from her work in Lima, Peru, on Wednesday Dec. 19, 2012. She was 56.

She died at her family's home in West Warwick with her husband, Brian Green, by her side. She was the daughter of M. Allen Shartzer and Alice (Areknaz Melkonian) Shartzer, formerly of East Providence.

Her father's family settled in 1630 in Farmington, Fayette County, Pa., and her grandparents on her mother's side arrived from Armenia in the early 20th century.

A graduate of East Providence High School, she was president of AYF Jr in the early 1970s; Armenian School teacher at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, and camp counselor and camper at Camp Haiastan in the 1970s. She studied Armenian at the Nichan Palandjian Armenian College in Beirut, Lebanon.

She graduated with a BA in Anthropology with a departmental distinction from Vassar College, followed by her MA in Anthropology from the American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt. Her thesis for her master's degree was a study of the Armenian community in Cairo.

Following early work experience at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, she worked as an archeologist in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. From 1987 to 2002 she held a number of appointments as a grant administrator, including two years at the American Center for Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan, and 10 years with the Egyptian Antiquities Project at the American Research Center in Egypt, in Cairo. She continued to work in archeology up to 2002 and was the project manager at the Jebel Barkal site in Sudan. In 2005 she was commissioned as a foreign service contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Her work took her to a number of countries around the world, including, most recently, Ethiopia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru. She also volunteered for and completed a one-year assignment in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2009.

She was a gifted linguist, and could read and write a number of languages fluently, including Armenian, Arabic, and Spanish. Her work with USAID reflected her core beliefs and desire to support and work on behalf of people in need. She was passionate about the preservation of historic buildings and volunteered as a board member of the Oakland Heritage Alliance and other organizations in Oakland, California.

She also had a passion for animal welfare, and spent considerable time and energy rescuing strays and working with animal charities.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her mother, Alice (Areknaz Melkonian) Shartzer, of East Providence; her brother, Stephen A.M. Shartzer and sister-in-law Stacey A.F. Shartzer, and her goddaughters and twin nieces Alexandra Vartanoosh Davidian Shartzer, and Victoria Josephine Melkonian Shartzer, all of Danville, CA. She is also survived by her sister Linda Rose Shartzer, of Houston, TX; her cousins, Stephanie and David Emerian of Cranston; Alice, Debbie, Diane, and Bobby Azarian; and Eddy, Jean and Valerie Garabedian; her aunt Harriet Shartzer Reynolds of Akron and many other cousins in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Her father was M. Allen Shartzer, of East Providence, (formerly of Akron, OH), who died on June 7, 2012.

The funeral will be held on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013, at 11 am in Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, 402 Broadway, Providence, followed by a private burial. Arrangements are being handled by Rebello Funeral Home in East Providence.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in her name can be made at the memorial page at the American Cancer Society.