Ann Sarafian was born in Detroit, Michigan on October 12, 1922 to Aram and Danchaly Lajigian and passed away peacefully on October 22, 2022, shortly after her 100 ^th birthday. Ann was the oldest of three children.  Her sister Madeline was born in 1924 and her brother Michael in 1934.

Ann attended school in Detroit, often walking to school in the cold and snow of the Michigan winters.  She graduated from Cooley High School in 1941 and went to work at Ford Motor Company along with her family at the start of World War II.  In 1942, Ann moved to Los Angeles with her sister and grew to love California, but returned to Michigan after a couple of years to help care for her mother.

Eventually Ann, her parents and brother moved to Fresno in 1950 joining many friends from Detroit who had made Fresno home.  On September 20, 1952, Ann married Nishon "Duke" Sarafian at Holy Trinity Armenian Church.  In 1958, the family grew with the birth of their daughter Lynne, and again in 1960 with the birth of a second daughter Nancy.

Ann was a homemaker, Room Mother and Girl Scout leader as the girls were growing up, while Duke worked for Bank of America.  Ann had a lifelong love of reading which she passed on to her family.  She would take her girls on weekly bus trips to the library as a fun adventure.  Ann remained an avid reader to the end, devouring many mystery, detective and romance novels over the years.

Sadly, her husband Duke passed away in 1977.  A few years later, Ann went to work for her sister Madeline at Fresno Escrow.  She retired in 1984 and helped take care of her aging parents. She also began working in the kitchen crew at church, preparing food for various events and enjoying the time with many friends.

Ann was blessed with the arrival of two beloved grandchildren, Haley in 1996 and Gregory in 1998.  After her parents passed, Ann relocated to Visalia in February 2000 and enjoyed her lovely home there.  Ann had some wonderful neighbors in her six house cul-de-sac and found some great Visalia doctors.  Time was spent with visits from family, poker games with Haley and Gregory, reading, working in the yard and watching her favorite soap opera.

Ann is survived by her daughter Lynne Surmeian, daughter Nancy Krikorian and her husband Gary, granddaughter Haley Surmeian, grandson Gregory Krikorian and nephew Steve Bradford.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Ann's honor to Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church of Fresno or a charity of your choice.