John Tutelian

JOHN TUTELIAN

John Tutelian, the longtime Fresno developer who helped reshape downtown and direct construction of St. Paul Armenian Church in the 1970's, died Tuesday, March 18, 2003, at the age of 80. Born in Bridgeport, Conn., John moved as a child with his family to a small vineyard in the Fresno area. By an early age, both parents had died, and he moved to Los Angeles to stay with family and finish high school. He trained as a jockey and helped raise horses until he entered the U.S. Navy, serving during WW II. He returned to Fresno and started a trucking business initially hauling produce, and later hauling live poultry for Swift and Company for 38 years. John entered the development business in 1957. He built apartments, industrial buildings and offices. In the 1970's, he began working on Civic Center Square - a six- block area that includes the new Federal Courthouse. The project is considered a key success in downtown redevelopment. Also in the 1970's, as chairman of the building committee, John steered construction of St. Paul Armenian Church. John was honored with an encyclical, or special letter of blessing, from the Supreme Patriarch of all Armenians when St. Paul Armenian Church was consecrated in 1979. Friends and family described John as a witty and straightforward man who liked to draw and embraced a strong work ethic throughout his life. John made many friends on his journey. John is survived by his wife Sonia, daughter Christine Sarkisian and her husband Don, daughter Monique Daviau and son Sam Sarkisian, son Cliff Tutelian and Roxan and their three sons John, Joseph and Michael; daughter Michelle Tutelian Missirlian and her sons Christopher and Marcus. John was preceded in death by his first wife, Christine's beloved mother, Maize Tutelian. John is also survived by three sisters; Alice Ferguson and her husband Jack, Rose Hagopian and Elsie Madden and her husband Chuck, and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Whitehurst Chapel on Sunday, March 23, 2003, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m,, and on Monday March 24, 2003, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at St. Paul Arrnenian Church on Tuesday, March 25, 2003. Interment will follow at the Ararat cemetery. WHITEHURSTSullivan, Burns & Blair Chapel1525 E. Saginaw 227-4048