Obit: Rev. Father Shahe Semerdjian, pastor emeritus of St. Peter’s dies at 88
By Holly Andres, Staff Writer
Los Angeles Daily News
May 26 2004
A funeral will be Thursday for the Rev. Father Shahe Semerdjian,
pastor emeritus at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church in Van Nuys,
who died Saturday of a heart attack in Las Vegas. He was 88.
Semerdjian was born Jan. 18, 1916, in Ainteb, Turkey, and he was
ordained in 1949, two years before emigrating to the United States
with his family.
Semerdjian served as vicar general of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church from 1953 to 1970, and was awarded the Pictorial
Cross of Priesthood for his devotion and service to the church by
His Holiness Vasken I.
Semerdjian was the senior pastor at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic
Church from 1962 to 1992. Under his leadership, major improvements
to the church site on Sherman Way were made including the sanctuary,
Sunday school classrooms and Karagozian Hall. He founded the AGBU
Elementary School at the church.
At the time of his death, he was a spiritual leader at the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Las Vegas, where he had moved with his wife
in 1992.
Semerdjian is survived by his wife, Yeretzgin Alice; sons, Dr.
Gregory Semerdjian and Dickran Semerdjian; daughters, Mary Kellejian
and Nanette Mikaelian; and 10 grandchildren.
A Divine Liturgy will be said at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Peter
Armenian Apostolic Church, 17231 Sherman Way, Van Nuys. Burial will
be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Father Shahe Avak Kahana
Semerdjian Foundation, 101 W. Broadway, Suite 810, San Diego, CA 92101.