Charles V. Mugrdechian Sr.

CHARLES V. MUGRDECHIAN, SR.

Charles V. Mugrdechian, Sr. was born July 14, 1921, in Fresno to Anooshavan and Rakel Der Mugrdechian. He and his three sisters and two brothers lived and worked on the family farms in Bowls and Calwa until his graduation from Fresno Technical High School. His family, friends and business associates knew him as "Chuck" or "Chick". He moved to Los Angeles and began working in and running a grocery store in Watts. While in Los Angeles he met his wife to be Helen Virginia Bedrosian and they married on February 21, 1946. They moved to Fresno in 1948, where together they built and operated Food Town Market in Calwa for 20 years. His business smarts began to blossom and in 1965, when he decided to work for New York Life Insurance Company where he soon emerged as one of the top insurance agents in the country for New York Life winning many awards over his 40 years of service. During his highly successful insurance career he had a never-ending ambition to serve and give back to the Fresno community. He sponsored bowling leagues for the kids at Sunnyside Bowl for many years, was a big supporter of the Fresno State Bulldog sports programs and he always cheered for those "Dogs"! He loved his church, St. Paul Armenian Church, and donated to the construction and participated in the different organizations within the church and its youth group. He joined the Lions Club in 1951, and held many leadership positions within the club. The Lions Club International honored him in 2004, with the Melvin Jones Fellow award for his humanitarian service. He was very proud of this honor being that it came while he speared headed a partnership between the Lions Club and Habitat for Humanity which was the last and best community project he worked on. He traveled with his wife, Virginia throughout the world and always lived life with excitement, honor, respect, and love for family and friends. He is survived by Virginia, his wife and angel of almost 60 years; his daughters, Janet Dix and her husband Clay, and Roxine Callahan and her husband Pat; his son, Charles Mugrdechian, Jr. and his wife Rima; two grandchildren, Katie Torosian and her husband Brian, and Kevin Callahan and his wife Lindsey; and two great-grandchildren, Tylee Torosian and Patrick Callahan. A Memorial Service will be held at the St. Paul Armenian Church on First St. and Dakota Ave. on Friday, September 30, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. The internment will be at the family plot at Ararat Cemetery in Fresno. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N. First Street, Fresno, CA 93726 or a charity of choice. YOST & WEBB FUNERAL HOME1002 "T" St. 237-4147