Elizabeth D. Koorkanian, longtime resident of Manchester, died peacefully in her sleep, on March 2, 2015 in Lake Forest, IL.
She was born in Manchester on August 1, attended Straw School and Central High School. She received a Bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Master's degree from Boston University.
As a CPA, she worked in accounting before accepting a teaching position at West Virginia Weslayan University for several years, and at Katharine Gibbs School in New York City.
She returned to New Hampshire and taught at Manchester's Memorial High School as department chairman for Business Education until her retirement.
She made a strong impact in education on many levels. She was intelligent, humble, dedicated, generous, and always gracious. With a submissive spirit of humility, she hoped to influence her students to work toward their highest potential. She was an avid, adventurous world traveler, and a voracious reader. Her commitment to her Armenian Christian heritage was always more than evident by her support of the church and many cultural organizations.
Her interests were varied, including membership in AAUW, volunteering many hours at the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester as well as volunteering her teaching skills at the local university branches.
She also volunteered at Manchester's Palace Theater productions as house manager in addition to her time spent volunteering at local soup kitchens.
She was preceded in death by her brother George Der Koorkanian.
Survivors include her sister Katherine K. Mekaelian, her nieces, nephews and many cousins.
A memorial service was held on Friday, March 13, 2015 in the chapel at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St, Manchester. Burial followed in Pine Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, 158 Main St., North Andover, MA 01845 or to St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church, 645 South Lewis Ave., Waukegan, IL 60085.