June 7, 1999, Los Angeles Times.  Born November 27, 1918; passed away June 2, 1999 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was a woman of enormous compassion and love who never lost her smile or her dignity throughout her lifetime and including her final days. She loved her family sometimes beyond reason.

She leaves behind her loving husband of 46 years, Ben; a niece, nephews, grandnieces, numerous cousins and loving friends.

Viewing will take place at Risher Montebello Mortuary, Tuesday, June 8 from 5 - 9 pm with a memorial service at 7 pm.

Church services will be held Wednesday, June 9^th at 12:00 noon at Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, 900 W. Lincoln in Montebello.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Holy Cross Ladies Aid or to the charity of your choice in Grace’s name.

January 1, 1997, The Fresno Bee.  Home services for Suren M. Melkonian, 70, of Fresno, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Yost & Webb Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Paul Armenian Church.  Mr. Melkonian, a farmer, died Monday. Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 8 to 10 a.m.  Friday at the funeral home. Remembrances may be sent to St. Paul Armenian Church or to the Western Diocese Armenian Church Camp at 3767 N. First St., Fresno 93726.

Suren Melkonian In the News - Families Honored

September 30, 1997, The Fresno Bee.  Services for Adrinne Poochigian, 89, of Fresno, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 1998, at Holy Trinity Armenian Church.  Mrs. Poochigian, a homemaker, died Friday, September 25, 1998.  Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m., Friday, October 2, and 8 to 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 3, at Yost & Webb Funeral Home.  Remembrances may be sent to Armenian Community School of Fresno, P.O. Box 6081, Fresno 93703; or the donor's favorite charity.

Bedros Sahag Poochigian (1876-1960)

October 20, 1960, Fresno Bee.   Funeral services will be held Saturday in Fresno for Bedros Poochigian, 84, a rancher in the Lone Star area for the past 53 years.   Poochigian died yesterday in the home of a daughter, Mrs. Ruby Boolootian, at 3592 El Monte Way.  He had been ill for several years.

The services will begin at 1 pm in Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, with the Rev. Papken Kasparian officiating.  Burial will be in the Ararat Cemetery.

Poochigian, a native of Charsanjak, Armenia, immigrated to the United States in 1903 and mined coal in Kentucky for two years.

He came to California in 1905 and worked in gold mines near San Bernardino for two years before moving to Fresno County.  His home is at 2117 South Armstrong Avenue.

Poochigian was a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Compatriotic Union of Charsanjak.   The family says memorial donations may be made to the union.

Besides Mrs. Boolootian, the survivors include three other daughters, Mrs. Grace Hovsepian of Fresno and Mrs. Anne Sarver and Mrs. Roxie Shahinian both of Los Angeles; four sons, Vaughn and Vernon Poochigian of Fresno; George Poochigian of Whittier and William Poochigian of Los Angeles; a brother, Hamparzoom Dolabjian of Fresno; 15 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Bedros Poochigian in the "History of the
Armenians of Charsanjak" published in 1956

June, 1945, The Fresno Bee. 

"Fresno Soldier Gives Life in Okinawa Fighting"

The war department has notified Mr. and Mrs. Sarkis Poochigian, who live on Willow Avenue and Highway 99, their son, Private Berge Poochigian, 24, was killed in action on Okinawa June 12th. He was with the 27th Infantry Division.

Poochigian entered the Army last August and was sent overseas in January. He took his training at Camp Roberts. Before entering the service he was employed in the Mare Island Shipyard. Prior to that he worked in the Fresno Service Body Works. A native of Fresno, he graduated from the Fresno Technical High School.

Besides his parents, he is survived by his widow, Mrs. June Poochigian, and a daughter, Janet June Poochigian of Vallejo, and a brother Ben Poochigian, Fresno.

December 30, 1998, The Fresno Bee.  Services for Harry Sam Poochigian, 60, of Fresno will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Yost & Webb Funeral Home.   Mr. Poochigian, a retired maintenance worker for El Mar & Dole Packing Co., died Tuesday. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. today, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Jack Hagop Poochigian (1922-1997)

Janice Elaine Poochigian Oetken (1943-1999)

January 27, 1999, The Fresno Bee.   A Fresno resident since 1962, died on January 26, 1999, born in Los Angeles on July 24, 1943, daughter of the late Paul and Dorothy Poochigian.

Survived by her brother, Ernest Poochigian and wife, Dian; her sister, Ruth Poochigian , O.P.; niece, Paula Poochigian Withey and her husband, Matthew; nephew, Brian Poochigian; her uncle Albert Shamdanjian of Madera; her aunt, Marjorie Magarian of Fresno and cousins, Grace Poochigian French, Robert and Armen Gostanian.  She was formerly married to Robert Oetken.

After her father's death in 1949, Janice's family moved to Illinois.  Janice graduated from Mooseheart High School in 1961, distinguishing herself as a musician.  She attended Northern Illinois University.  Janice was formerly employed by the Aetna Insurance Company in Fresno.  Since 1975 she had been legal secretary for James E. Shekoyan, for the last 12 years at Baker, Manock and Jensen.  She also served as executive assistant to the City of Fresno, Little Hoover Commission.

Janice was an Elder of the First Armenian Presbyterian Church, serving as Chairperson of the Music Committee, organist, member of the Chancel Choir and past president of the Fidelis Society.  She was a patron of the Ani Guild, California Armenian Home.

Visitation at First Armenian Presbyterian Church on Thursday, January 28, 1999, from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M.

Funeral Services will be held at the Church on Friday, January 29, 1999, at 10:00 A.M.  Internment at Belmont Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the First Armenian Presbyterian Church, or to Nancy Hinds Hospice, 1616 W. Shaw, Suite B, Fresno 93711.

Photograph of Janice Poochigian Oetken

Church Service Program - Celebrating the Life
of Janice Poochigian Oetken
July 24, 1943 - January 26, 1999

June 8, 1993, The Fresno Bee.  Services for Marie Samuelian Poochigian, of Los Angeles, formerly of Fresno, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Yost & Webb Funeral Home in Fresno. Mrs. Poochigian, a retired secretary, died Saturday. Remembrances may be sent to Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Box 1865, Fresno 93718.

January 11, 1998, The Fresno Bee.  Funeral services for Queenie Poochigian , 84, of Fresno, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Trinity Armenian Church. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Yost & Webb Funeral Home. Remembrances may be sent to the American Heart Association, 1495 W. Shaw Ave., Fresno 93711-3608; the American Diabetes Association, 55 Shaw Ave., Suite 105, Clovis 93612; or the American Lung Association, 4948 N. Arthur Ave., Fresno 93705.

November 10, 1996, The Fresno Bee.  Services for Vaughn Bedros Poochigian, 87, of Fresno, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Trinity Armenian Church. Mr. Poochigian, a retired farmer, died Friday.  Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  Wednesday at Yost & Webb Funeral Home. Remembrances may be sent to Holy Trinity Armenian Church, P.O. Box 1865, Fresno 93718, or California Armenian Home, 6720 E. Kings Canyon Road, Fresno 93727.