PEROUZE DERDERIAN
February 24, 1942 – January 28, 2026

Perouze Derderian was born on February 24, 1942, in Beirut, Lebanon, where she spent her early years surrounded by family, culture, and enduring traditions. Her parents, Lucine and Harootiun Ejidian, owned a shoe factory. She attended St. Famile Girls Academy in Ashrafieh and then later attended seamstress school, where she gained her exceptional skills.

She later met Hovannes Derderian, beginning a life rooted in love, perseverance, and devotion to family. In March 1958, they welcomed their first child, Sirap, followed by their second child, Rozine, born in February 1961. They raised their children in the Mar Michael neighborhood of Beirut.

After enduring the civil war in Lebanon, the Derderian family arrived in Fresno on April 24, 1979, sponsored by their cousins, Ted and Rachel Torosian. They later lived on Huntington and Kings Canyon, then First and Fairmont, along with many friends who became family. They created their own tight-knit Armenian village there of recently immigrated grandparents, supporting their children and raising their grandchildren together as they made memories in a new country.

Motherhood and grandmotherhood were central to Perouze's life. She was "Nene" in every way — deeply devoted to her children and took great pride in nurturing her family, instilling in them the values she held dear—faith, resilience, generosity, and a strong sense of heritage. Her home was a place of warmth and welcome, where family gathered, and bonds were strengthened across generations. She taught us to sew, to cook, to bake, to care for animals (joodeegs), to care for one another, to garden, and to make sure we were always dressed for the occasion. She taught us life – to enjoy the little things and to always laugh together.

Nene was a safe place for all six of her grandchildren. She worked so hard to cook for us, to care for us. Perouz dreamt of opening her own restaurant when she came to America from Beirut in 1979. She sacrificed that dream to help raise all of us. Nene was an expert chef and baker: preparing the BEST of the BEST yalanchi, sarma, lahanov sarma, dolma, boreg, souboreg, mante, fasoulia, bamia, khadayeef, khourabia, choreg, gatnabour, chikufta, sini kufta, kufta, vosbov (lentil) kufta, madzounov kufteh, jermag fasoulia/plaki (white bean stew), fatoush, tabbouleh, hummus, vartee anoush (rose jam), dzeeranee anoush (apricot jam), saree Burma, moushabek, halawa jbneh, tas kebab, moutabel, eech, gnduleeg soup (meatball soup), gata, tahinov hatz (tahini bread), washed down with home-made lemonata, tan, or jallab. All recipes from memory, "achkee chapov" (measuring by eye). And what an eye she had! She set the bar so high with her cooking. Thankfully, she passed down this skill to her children and grandchildren.

Perouze will be remembered for her strength, her unwavering love for family, and the deep care she showed to all who knew her. Her legacy lives on through the many generations she cherished and the lives she touched with kindness and devotion.

Perouze was survived by her daughter, Rozine Bedoyan, her partner, Matt Penry, as well as her son, Sirap Derderian. Her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive her: John Derderian; Tamar Bedoyan and her wife, Janna Bedoyan; Daniel Derderian; Emily and her husband, Nate Coyle, and their children Cooper and Noah Coyle; Sareen Creede and her husband Erik Creede, and their children Lena, Noelle, and John Karnig; and Jeremy Derderian.

In lieu of flowers: Armenian Relief Society Sophia Chapter (her chapter) and Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church