Ara A. Nazarian of Nashua NH, surrounded by his loving family, went to be with his Lord & Savior on October 23, 2009. Born March 19, 1934 in Lawrence, MA, son of Stapan and Nellie Nazarian, Ara was the eldest of four children. He graduated from Edward F. Searles High School in Methuen, MA in 1951 and shortly thereafter enlisted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After serving two years in the Army, Ara left to complete his education as a Mechanical Engineer at Lowell Tech in 1961, and went on to work for Avco and Sanders Associates, where he worked on warplane self protection and surveillance. In June of 1961, Ara married Dorothy Marion Donigian from Salem, NH. Ara transitioned to work the family jewelry business, Nazarian Jewelers, on Essex Street in Lawrence in the late 1960’s. He remained there until his retirement in 1994.
Ara was an active member in the community and believed life was lived to serve God, Country, and his fellow man. He was a member of the Lawrence Rotary Club, active in the Knights of Columbus, and was a 32nd degree Freemason. If Ara had anything in his life approaching his love of his family, it was his love for the game of golf. He was a long time member of the Portsmouth Country Club and loved playing with anyone, regardless of their skill level. As long as they weren’t slow, that was unacceptable. A rabid sports fan, if you knew him you knew the story of how he got into Game 6 of the 1975 World Series and his history playing baseball. And on stories; if you knew Ara, you knew story upon story upon story. He knew someone in every room he walked into, and if he didn’t, he did when he left. He also had great joy spending time at his condo in Waterville Valley where he was a past president of the Golden Eagle Lodge Owners Association. In terms of entertainment, nothing came close to Peter Sellers’ Pink Panther films when it came to Ara’s favorite movies.
Ara is survived by his mother Nellie Nazarian, brother Robert Nazarian, sister Marlene Aznoian, and brother Raymond Nazarian. In addition to his adoring wife of more than 48 years, Dorothy, he is survived by his loving children and their families, Kevin and Rochelle Nazarian, of Boxford MA; Julie and James Long, of Northwood NH; Kenneth and Lois Nazarian, of Newmarket NH; and Kristen and Francis Mulcahy, of Brookline NH. Ara is now reunited with his second son, Ara, who passed before him in 1972.
Above all else in Ara’s world was his love of family, and in that he was blessed to be bountiful. He loved to dote on his 12 grandkids and was very involved in all of their lives. Listed in order of oldest (14 yrs) to youngest (5 mos) they are: Christian, Ara, Elisabeth, Adara, Ani, Anthony, Alexan, Natasha, Dante, Gina, Gabriella, and Marcus.
Visitation hours will be held at the Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St, Salem, NH on Wednesday, October 28th from 4pm - 8pm. Funeral Services will be at 10:00am on Thursday October 29th at the Funeral Home. Immediately after the gravesite ceremony will be conducted at Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence, MA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Community Hospice House, 210 Naticook Rd, Merrimack, NH 03054 or to the Rockingham, Christian Church, 5 Industrial Way, Salem, NH 03079,