Ara A. Shiragian

of Warwick, passed away at Scalabrini Villa on Sunday, March 19, 2017.   He was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1921 to the Reverend Aharon and Aroosiag Shirajian who ran an orphanage for child survivors of the Armenian Genocide.  Ara excelled in math, chemistry and physics and was fluent in English, Armenian, French and Arabic.  He attended the American University of Beirut where he earned a degree in Chemistry, after which he, his mother and sister emigrated to the United States.

In the U.S., Ara met Arpine Kaloustian who grew up in Athens, Greece and was studying at Northwestern University.  They were married in 1957, moved to Rhode Island, and were blessed with the arrival of daughters Grace and Joy.  Meanwhile, Ara earned a Masters degree in Chemistry at Brown University.

Ara was a family man who adored his mother, sisters, wife and daughters.  He entertained friends and family with humorous antics, often bursting into song from one of his favorite operas or showing up for Christmas parties as Mrs. Santa Claus.

He was also committed to his community as member of the board of the Armenian Martyr’s Committee which erected a monument to the Armenian Genocide at Providence’s North Burial Ground.  He served for years as Deacon of the Armenian Congregational Church in Providence, and as a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader.  He was fondly referred to as “Uncle Ara” by his young charges, some of whom he tutored in chemistry, physics and math.

Ara worked for 39 years at CAL Chemical in Coventry, RI, which provided him with a second family.  He retired at age 90 as Alzheimer’s began to set in and eventually joined his mother in heaven on March 19.  He leaves behind wife Arpie Shiragian of Warwick, daughters Grace Shiragian of Alexandria, VA and Joy Shiragian of Oakland, CA, grandchildren Alexander Ara Beckner and Charlotte Grace Beckner of Oakland, CA, sister Aranoosh Vivien Yeretsian of Cranston, nieces Rita Marcotte of Cranston and Mary Yakoubian of Hoboken, NJ, and nephews Peter Yeretsian of Cranston and Dan Yakoubian of San Diego, CA.

His funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 25th at the Armenian Evangelical Church, 180 Oaklawn Ave, Cranston, followed by burial at Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Blvd, Providence.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ara’s name to the: Armenian Missionary Association of America’s “Syria Relief Fund”, 31 West Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652.