million endowment, is devoted to the publication and translation of Armenian scholarly and literary works, and Armenian cultural material worldwide. Through the AGBU, the Manoogians funded schools for ethnic Armenians in Southfield, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sydney, Australia; Beirut, Lebanon; Zahle, Lebanon; Egypt; Tehran, Iran; Montreal, Quebec; Toronto, Ontario; and Montevideo, Uruguay (all are named for the Manoogian family). Manoogian also funded numerous Armenian churches, cultural centers, university chairs for Armenian studies and museums worldwide. He donated generously to Wayne State University in Detroit. Marie Manoogian died in 1993, and Alex in 1996. They were first interred in Detroit, Michigan. In 2007 they were reinterred with state honors in Armenia (see below). Legacy and honors Manoogian Hall, Wayne State's center for international language and linguistics, is named after him. In 1966 the Manoogians donated their mansion to the city of Detroit. It is used today as the mayoral residence. In 1982 Alex and Marie Manoogian donated funds for the construction of a museum in their name, the Treasury House Museum, on the grounds of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia. 1990, was awarded the Ellis Island Medial of Honor. 1993, Alex Manoogian was named a National Hero of Armenia and a citizen of Armenia by President Levon Ter Petrosian, the first person outside the country to be so honored. 2007, at the invitation of the government of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church, the remains of Marie and Alex Manoogian were moved and reinterred with full state honors on the grounds of Holy Etchmiadzin, in front of the Treasury Museum. The Archbishop, national officials and Louise Manoogian Simone, Richard Manoogian and others of their family attended the ceremony; the two children were among the speakers. Alex Manoogian streets in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia; in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and in Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, were named in his honor. References External links Steve Takesian, "Alex Manoogian", Find A Grave 1901 births 1996 deaths American people of Armenian descent Armenian businesspeople Ethnic Armenian businesspeople Armenian inventors Philanthropists from Michigan Smyrniote Armenians Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to the United States People from İzmir Businesspeople from Detroit Presidents of the Armenian General Benevolent Union National Hero of Armenia 20th-century American businesspeople Armenian genocide survivors 20th-century American inventors 20th-century American philanthropists