Arpiar G. Saunders Jr.

1942 - 2014

HOPKINTON – Arpiar G. Saunders Jr., better known as Arpy, 72, of Hopkinton, died peacefully with his devoted family around him in Concord Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, after a long struggle with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).

Arpy was born on Oct. 13, 1942, in North Adams, Mass. to loving parents, Margaret and Arpiar Saunders, who passed along their Armenian culture and tremendous work ethic. Arpy graduated from Williamstown High School in 1961 in Williamstown, Mass., earned his B.A. in Government in 1965 from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law School, cum laude, in 1968. Arpy used his sharp, inventive mind and good common sense to the great advantage of many clients, students and causes over his long and rich legal career. His generous and patient spirit made him a teacher to many in and out of the courtroom and classroom.

After law school, he served in the Judge Advocate's General Corp of the U.S. Army and then the ACLU's National Prison Project in Washington, D.C. He moved to New Hampshire in 1976 to work for New Hampshire Legal Assistance as the Director of Litigation and later became a professor of law and dean of academic affairs at Franklin Pierce Law Center, now the University of New Hampshire School of Law, where he taught a wide range of classes from 1978 to 1996. He inspired a new generation of lawyers, instilling in them his deep sense of a lawyer's commitment to clients. In 1996, he joined Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. full time, from which he retired in 2010. Over the course of his career, Arpy used the law as a vehicle for positive social change and to fight inequality. He helped to develop the theories underlying the Claremont education funding lawsuits and the closing of the Laconia State School. In addition, he worked to advance laws to reform prisoner treatment and to protect the mentally ill. With zealous advocacy and a humble grace, Arpy always felt a responsibility to improve the world by speaking up for those without voices.

From his early days of opposition to the Viet Nam War and support for returning vets, to his work in the federal and state prisons, to his strong advocacy for those with mental and emotional illnesses, Arpy taught about our obligation to help the disenfranchised. He volunteered for over 30 years on the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Office of Public Guardian, contributed 12 years to the Hopkinton School Board and served on the Boards of the Disability Rights Center and Woodside School, along with numerous other community efforts.

Arpy was awarded the prestigious E. Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism by the New Hampshire Bar Association. Riverbend Community Mental Health Center, where Arpy was a longtime member of the board committee, also recently honored him as a Rainbow Champion for his long-lasting work on behalf of children, adults and families living with serious emotional disorders or mental illness.

Although devoted to his work, Arpy always put his family and friends first. A loving husband, father, stepfather and grandfather, Arpy is survived by his wife, Jill Blackmer of Hopkinton; his three children, Matthew Saunders and daughter-in-law, Mary Stopas Saunders of Hampton, Dr. Arpiar Saunders and daughter-in-law, Dr. Nadine Piekarski of Somerville, Mass. and Alice Saunders of Jamaica Plain, Mass.; his two step-children, Alexander Blackmer of Salt Lake City and Emily Blackmer of Truckee, Calif.; and two grandchildren, Holly and Alexandria Saunders of Hampton; sisters, Diane Saunders of North Easton, Mass. and Sandra Saunders and brother-in-law, Peter Williams of Whately, Mass.; nieces, Kathryn Cohen and Margaret Morris. Arpy also remained friends with former wives, Jane Munson of Concord and Linda Saunders Paquette of Hopkinton.

Arpy loved gardening, fireworks, the family home on Cape Cod, and admiring fast cars. He was a long-time member of the Concord YMCA noon-time running group and part of an eight-person cohort of friends who trained together to run the New York City Marathon in 1994. Even as Arpy struggled with FTD, which had stripped him of his ability to speak, he never stopped listening or communicating, walking every day and reaching out to others with his warm smile and generous hugs. He eagerly became a participant in FTD studies at Massachusetts General Hospital, wanting to contribute to a better understanding and a cure one day for the disease that took his life; in the end, he continued to serve others by donating his brain to the hospital for further research.

Sweet, unadorned, honorable, Arpy Saunders celebrated life right up to his final moment. He is missed deeply by his family and many friends and colleagues.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration or a New Hampshire charity of choice.

A memorial service will be Saturday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m. at Memorial Hall, St. Paul's School, Concord, with a reception to follow.

Friends of Arpy are invited to share memories, stories, and pictures at rememberingarpy.tumblr.com.