Clara (Baidzar) Apigian Mooradian, 87, of Atlanta, Ga., died on Sept. 7. Clara was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, as was her husband Norman (Souren). Norman, whom she first met in 1939, preceded her in death almost two years to day on Sept. 9, 2008. Clara graduated from the Niagara Falls High School in 1942. She was the eldest daughter of the late Khoren and Hripseme Apigian, formerly of 1202 East Falls St. and 323 10th St., and resided in Atlanta for the last 47 years with her late husband of 45 years.
Clara is survived by her daughters and son-in-laws, Susan and Chuck Maisano, and Karen and Chris Reed; granddaughters, Allison and Sydney Maisano and Nicole Reed, all of Atlanta; her sister Susan Apigian Noubarian (the late Art Noubarian) of Lewiston, N.Y. and her two sons, Gary Noubarian of Maryland and Brian (Jenny) Noubarian of Santa Anna, Calif.; as well as her brother, Ned (Aroxie) Apigian of Dearborn Heights, Mich., and his daughter Heather (Apigian) Krafian of Belmont, Mass. She leaves behind several other nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Clara was a World War II veteran, serving in the SPARS, the Women’s Coast Guard Reserve, from 1944-46. Her husband Norman served in the Canadian Army in Europe from 1942-46. Before and after her military service, she was employed by the Dupont Company in Niagara Falls as a stenographer.
In 1948, Clara decided to join the U.S. Foreign Service and served in Berlin, Germany, during the “Berlin Airlift,” returning to Niagara Falls in 1950. In 1952-54, Clara returned to the Foreign Service, headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. During her four years of service in Europe, she traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East, visiting the relatives of her father and mother in France and Turkey.
Upon her third return to Niagara Falls, she was employed as a secretary with the Bell Aircraft Company from 1954 -58, when she decided to move to Detroit and was employed by the Ford Motor Co.
In January 1963, she married Norman Mooradian, her lifelong sweetheart, and moved to Atlanta. While in Detroit, she was very active with her contemporaries in planning and raising money for the new St. Sarkis Armenian Church of Dearborn, built in 1962. Being one of a handful of Armenians in Atlanta, Clara made it her business to search for any new Armenian arrivals she could discover in Atlanta.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Armenian Weekly, 80 Bigelow Ave., Watertown, MA 02472; the Armenian Church of Atlanta (Diocese), 9820 Coleman Rd., Roswell, GA 30075; the Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Atlanta (Prelacy), 250 Spring St., Suite 6W119, Atlanta, GA 30303; or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 3525 Piedmont Rd., Bldg 6, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305.
An Armenian Memorial Service was held on Sat., Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. at the Arlington Memorial Park, Sunrise Chapel. Rev. Fr. Nercess Jebejian officiated at the chapel. Arrangements were by H.M. Patterson and Son, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd., Sandy Springs, Ga.
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