Angel Melikian

Angel Melikian died on Thursday, May 22, 2014. For 91 years she graced every life she touched with her indomitable spirit and graceful charm. She was born on September 10, 1922 in Aleppo, Syria.

Angel's true strength surfaced when she became a young widow with two small children to raise. Her love and devotion for them translated to a fierce determination to succeed. She obtained a nursing degree from Syracuse University that led to a career spanning four decades. Her children thrived in her care and grew up with her strong sense of values and hard work ethic.

She continually raised the bar for herself and went back to school to obtain a Master's degree in nursing from UCLA.
Her multi-dimensional life was enhanced when she retired and poured her passion into art. She taught herself to paint, attended art classes at Santa Monica College and displayed her works at local art shows. She excelled at painting animals, birds and landscapes in watercolors. Her strong sense of presence was enhanced by the Tai Chi she embraced that kept her focused and centered. A perfect day for her was attending art shows and checking out the latest exhibits at local museums.

A point of pride was her rose garden that displayed a colorful array of flowers pruned with the ardent passion of a true gardener. The beauty that Angel created was also reflected in the small gestures she displayed with family and friends. She always put others first and influenced those around her with her love of nature and animals.

One of the high points of her life was her ability to travel to the Far East and Europe with her sister where she explored exotic cultures. These were the adventures of a lifetime for this independent, creative, and strong willed woman who never failed to express her opinions in a forthright manner. She will long be remembered for her inspiring spirit and courageous character.

She is survived by her sister (Anahid) her two children (Vicken and Annie) and three grandchildren (Luke, Michael and Tina) as well as many nieces, nephews (Gia, Shahe, Armen, Stefan and Elisabet) and cousins.

The Family would like to give special thanks to her longtime caregivers, her close friends and family who were always there for her and supported her.

She will be always remembered as an angel and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org or to your favorite charity.

A memorial service will be held on May 31st, 2014 at 1pm at Forest Lawn in Glendale, CA