Mrs. Alice Z. Guzelimian

FUNERAL SERVICES for ALICE Z. GUZELIMIAN
Friday, January 13, 2012, beginning 10:00 AM
In the Large Chapel of El Camino Memorial
At 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121
(858)453-2121

Beginning 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, Viewing by Attendees, half open casket, Alice will be presented in her Choir Robe with Head Veil (that is the way she wanted to be buried, having devoted most of her life to the Armenian Orthodox Church). During said time, a memorial slide presentation with background music (Amazing Grace) will be shown.

10:30 AM, Casket will be closed and Funeral Service performed by Der Hair Datev Tatoulian accompanied by ArchDeacon Neshan Chadergian and Organist Alex Mirolyan.

At the conclusion of the Funeral Service, a FAMILY ONLY burial will follow at the grave site.

In lieu of Hokejash, with the express wishes of Alice, her Family will donate to St. John Garabed Armenian Orthodox Church's "BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE" Fund and also to the "CHURCH CHOIR", in her memory.

Alice wished that, in lieu of flowers in her memory, all donations be made to ST. JOHN GARABED ARMENIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH of San Diego at 4473 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92116.

To All who are distant, unable to attend and called to express their kind & sincere sympathies, Harry Guzelimian, Joseph & Nadya Malconian and Charles & Melina Ounjian, each with their respective families Thank You for your thoughtful gesture and heartfelt words of consolation and your sincere love for Alice!

The Life of Alice Z. Guzelimian, in Summary
(she was the 3rd of 4 sisters)

Alice was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 30, 1931, to Setrag & Berjouhi Gulasarian. She graduated from John Bartram High School, in Philadelphia, where she became the first brunette to be accepted as a cheer leader, in the school's history. Having a good soprano voice and love of music & singing she also received voice & piano lessons at a Music Conservatory in Philadephia. After graduating from high school until her marriage to Harry Guzelimian, on September 25, 1960, she worked for the General Electric Company of Philadelphia, working her way from the secretarial pool up to becoming the private secretary for a division manager. While at General Electric, she made several improving ideas and received certificates of commendation for each of them!

Here, Harry wanted me to interject this. Their first meeting was at an Armenian Party. Alice captured Harry's attention. He walked over to Alice and said "You have a pair of beautiful dark eyes"; if I ask you for a glass of cold water would you bring it to me? Without hesitation, Alice said "SURE"! went and brought Harry a cold glass of water. Harry says, to this day I don't know what kind of potion she put into the water, because, after he drank the water, right then and there he decided, in his mind, this is the girl to be my wife and life's partner!

From the time Alice was a teenager, she sang at events and became a soloist in the church choir of Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church in Philadelphia. With her sister, Virginia, Alice also sang and was one of the soloists with the large Armenian Choral Group known as "KNAR YERKCHAKHOUMP".(Choral Group)

Harry's & Alice's union was blessed with 2 daughters Nadya, in June 1961 (married to Joseph Malconian) and Melina, in February 1963 (married to Charles Ounjian). Nadya & Joseph gifted Alice & Harry with a grandson, Michael (now 18) and a granddaughter, Sara (now 13), and, Melina & Charles gifted Alice & Harry with 2 grandsons, Paul (now 20) and Nicolas (now 15).

In 1964, when Nadya was 3 and Melina was 1, Alice & Harry moved from Philadelphia to San Diego, California. Harry, as a Structural Engineer, transferred from THE KULJIAN CORPORATION, in Philadelphia to GENERAL ATOMIC COMPANY in San Diego. They settled in Del Mar for 2 years and then moved to and became residents of Solana Beach through to the present.

Since there was not an Armenian Church in San Diego, at that time, Alice & Harry, with their daughters, attended Sunday services at the Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, where the pastor was Diran Yalian from Fresno. Because of her love to sing, Alice joined the church choir and sang there for several years. When Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church opened in Cardiff, Alice sang in their church choir also.

When St. John Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church was established in San Diego, Alice organized and started the first church choir and acted as Director of the Choir and Soloist during Holy Badarak for many years. Her happiest times, as Choir Director, were when she would take her 2 daughters, Nadya & Melina (then in early teens) to church with her and they would sing in the choir. They sang in the church choir until they were each married and moved to Los Angeles. Alice continued directing the choir and singing solos, while Neshan Chadergian was both singer in the choir then Deacon on the Altar, until Alice's affliction with Parkinson's Disease. Then ArchDeacon Neshan Chadergian took over the leadership of the choir and singing the solos.

For sports, aside from cheerleading, also, she loved to play tennis and badminton, both while in high school and throughout her adult life, until she no longer could play.

Foremost, Alice loved and enjoyed singing; some of said love has passed on to her daughter Nadya, her son Michael and daughter Sara. Nadya sings in the California Philharmonic in Los Angeles.

Also, Alice loved the opera and enjoyed operatic performances. During the early 1970's, for a few years, she was the Co-Chairman of the North Coast Association of the San Diego Opera Guild.

She loved her Armenian Heritage and when company came over to our home, she played Armenian music on the stereo.

She could cook a dinner on a short notice when Harry would call and say he was bringing a client home for dinner. She could prepare and present a beautiful spread of food & dessert, without complaining.

The most noteworthy achievement by Alice was teaching

her 2 daughters the appreciation of their Armenian Heritage and love of their Christian faith, as she did, through the Armenian Apostolic Church!

May God bless the soul of Alice Guzelimian and accept her soul into His Heavenly Domain and grant it rest and peace!