Albert Vahe Markarian

1921 - 2019

October 22, 1921 - July 7, 2019 Albert Vahe Markarian was born on October 22nd, 1921, In Haverhill, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. He was the only child of new immigrant parents Edward and Ruth Markarian, refugees of the Armenian Genocide. The Markarian family started their lives in America with very little, but prospered through their hard work. Job opportunities and the Great Depression forced the family to move around to several different towns in New England, and continually changing schools created great stresses for the young, intensely shy Albert. Shyness aside, and knowing only the Armenian language on entering kindergarten, Albert eventually graduated from his high school in Bellows Falls, Vermont as Valedictorian of his graduating class. Though he received a full scholarship to the state university in Vermont, the family decided to move to Southern California, where Albert got accepted to the University of Southern California. Following his undergraduate studies, Albert was accepted to the USC School of Dentistry. Just a few months after entering dental school, in that fateful year, 1941, the war forced the school to compress four years of studies into three frantic years. While many could not cope with the stress, Albert graduated with honors and was immediately inducted into the Army, where he rose to the rank of Captain. After the war, Albert married Elizabeth Kirazian in Los Angeles and opened his general dental practice in Studio City, where he practiced for 38 years before retiring in 1984. He was awarded a Fellowship to the Academy of General Dentistry, and he was a member and an officer of several organizations, including the California Dental Association and the Armenian Professional society. Three elements from which Albert derived much joy and to which he devoted much time were his family, golf and art. For the greater part of his life, his passion for painting produced a rich and varied output of works that could fill several households. His family will always remember him laboring tirelessly over his easel for eight hours at a time without breaks, almost until the end of his life. Albert Markarian was a kind, generous, honest man, and his family will honor and cherish his legacy. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, his two sons, Edward and Harry, their wives Graciela and Annie, grand children, Cristina Lisa, Lori and Sandra, and great grandchildren, Jane, Dean, Anna and Luke. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Ararat Home of Los Angeles in West Hills.