TEWKSBURY: Charles "Charlie" Kerkian, age 80, a resident of Tewksbury for over 46 years, passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at home, with his family by his side.
He was the beloved husband of Adele K. Kerkian, who passed away May 18, 2000.
Born in Newburyport on September 28, 1930, he was the son of the late Menas Kerkian and the late Zevart (DER Manouelian) (Kerkian) Buzdigian.
Charlie attended Haverhill schools and graduated from Lowell High School and Northeastern University.
In 1954, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War with the 293rd Engineering GN until being honorably discharged from active duty on November 28, 1956.
Charlie was a civil engineer with extensive experience in design, administration and construction on a variety of public works and architectural engineering projects for different companies, later retiring as a self employed professional consulting engineer for the City of Malden.
He was a member of the St. Vartanantz Armenian Church in Chelmsford, where he previously served on the Building Committee.
He is survived by two daughters, Karla J. Kerkian-Nocella and her husband Daniel of Tewksbury and Lainie Kerkian-Corso and her husband Gerard of Chelmsford; one sister, Margaret Rupp of Nashua, NH; two nephews, Paul Rupp, Jr. and Michael Rupp both of Revere.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 5, at 10 a.m., at St. Vartanantz Armenian Church, 180 Old Westford Road, Chelmsford. (There will not be a procession from the funeral home, kindly meet the family at church). Interment will follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Tewksbury. At the request of the family there are No Calling Hours. In lieu of flowers, donations in Charlie's memory may be made to St. Vartanantz Armenian Church, 180 Old Westford Rd., Chelmsford, MA 01824.