ARAXIA HOVANNES ASHKHARIAN
Araxia Ashkharian was born in 1925, in Alexandretta, Turkey. She was the second child to
Hovannes Sarkissian and Eliza Sarkissian (Dermendjian). Her siblings were Sirvard (eldest),
Nerses and Lily (youngest). When Araxia was very young, her family moved to Beirut, Lebanon.
She grew up, received education, and worked until her family migrated to Armenia, in 1946. She
continued working in Yerevan, Armenia, at the Academy of Sciences, as head librarian.
Araxia met a young man named Nazareth Ashkharian and they were married in 1959. Nazareth
and Araxia were blessed with two sons, Kevork was born in 1960 and Hovannes in 1962.
Despite living through tough times in a communist country and raising a family in a single room,
both Araxia and Nazareth did their very best to give their children an outstanding family
upbringing.
Araxia and Nazareth wanted the very best for their family; therefore, they made the choice to
leave Armenia and migrate to the United States in 1974. During transition, they stayed in Beirut,
Lebanon, for about seven months, then settled in Northern California in December 1974.
Both Araxia and Nazareth did odd and entry level jobs, in order to ensure that their family
succeeded in America. Araxia worked in the banking industry, and shortly after the untimely
death of her husband, in 1986, she retired from work, due to health reasons.
Araxia's eldest son, Kevork, married in 1987 to Sonia Sarkissian and were blessed with a
daughter, Araxie Ashkharian and a son, Nazareth Ashkharian. Her youngest son, Hovannes,
married in 1998 to Azniv Manoukyan and were blessed with two sons, David and Michael.
For the past couple of years, Araxia was mostly bed bound and her health started to decline in
the past couple of months. Araxia Ashkharian entered her final resting place on Tuesday
November 9, 2021. Rest In Peace!