Dr. Ara DerMarderosian, 88, of Glocester, RI, died Monday, September 11, 2023 at Stillwater Nursing Home in Smithfield, RI with his family by his side. He was the husband of Evelyn A. (Messerlian) DerMarderosian. They had been married for 62 years.
He was a son of the late Karnig and Anahid (Goolkasian) DerMarderosian. Ara was a Professor of Pharmacognosy in the Department of Biology at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, in Philadelphia, PA, for 56 years, before retiring.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his son, Ron DerMarderosian and his wife, Maral of Glocester, RI, his grandchildren: Hrani DerMarderosian, Alex and Adam Torcomian, his brothers, Tony DerMarderosian of Owls Head, Maine and Richard DerMarderosian of Westwood, MA, and his son-in-law, John Torcomian of Newtown Square, PA. He was the father of the late Laura A. Torcomian and brother of the late Aaron DerMarderosian.
Ara's funeral service will be held Friday, September 15th, at noon, at the Anderson-Winfield Funeral Home, 2 Church Street, in Greenville, RI. Visitation will be there, prior, from 11:00am to noon. Burial will follow at Acote’s Hill Cemetery, 1043 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Landsdowne Bible Chapel, 133 N Wycombe Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050.
Ara was born and grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts. He graduated from Somerville High School in 1952, and attended the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, graduating with a BS in 1956. In 1957 he received a fellowship in the Department of Biological Sciences and, after completing graduate studies in 1958, received an MS in pharmaceutical chemistry.
During his summers, he completed a six-month training program with the US Army National Guard, stationed at Fort Sam Houston, TX, where he earned the military occupational role of Medical Specialist. After spending another year of study at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy working under an industrial grant from Sterling-Winthrop Laboratories, he enrolled in Graduate school at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island. There, he continued his studies and served as a graduate assistant in both Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy. During this time he was awarded a summer fellowship award for teaching in chemistry at the National Science Foundation and was later appointed as a research assistant under a National Institutes of Health research grant.
He married Evelyn (Messerlian) in 1961. Ara then completed the requirements for his PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Rhode Island in June 1964. From 1964 to 2020, he was a Professor of Pharmacognosy and Research Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Departments of Biology and Chemistry of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He received a joint appointment as Research Professor in Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry in 1979. He was also the Scientific Director of the University Complementary and Alternative Medicines Institute. From 1965 to 1995 he was also a lecturer in pharmacology in the Department of Physiological Sciences at the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine and Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, he was the Science Advisor to the Philadelphia District FDA Laboratories for a decade.
Dr. DerMarderosian's research interests included hallucinogenic botanicals, the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinal and poisonous plants, marine pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse and nutraceuticals. He has over 100 publications, many chapters in books and two texts, and was the senior editor of the “Review of Natural Products” published by “Facts and Comparisons.”
Ara was a true “renaissance man.” He enjoyed disseminating his knowledge and wisdom to everyone he met. His avocations included Armenian music, fine-art painting, calligraphy, ivory scrimshaw and jewelry making, as well as bicycling, gourmet cooking, pharmaceutical and botanical philately, and the collecting of books, tools and antiques. He formerly played the clarinet and oud with the Boston Orientales and the Hellenic String Band, and also performed his music regularly at many folk music affairs and demonstrations. He was listed in the Pennsylvania State Folk-life Program as a traditional Armenian music performer.
He spent his last year on the earth with his wife, Evelyn, his son, Ron, his daughter-in-law, Maral and his granddaughter, Hrani in Chepachet, Rhode Island.
Lansdowne Bible Chapel