Alice Adelhanof was born August 16, 1926 in Chicago, Ill. She was the first Adelhanof family member to be born in the USA, as her parents and older brother Harry had earlier emigrated from Armenia. Alice and her family moved to Sherman Oaks, CA. in 1940. After graduating from Van Nuys High School, Alice went on to UCLA where she earned a BS in Business Education with the idea of becoming a teacher. She was the 3rd woman in her family to graduate from College, following in the footsteps of her Mother and Grandmother, which were graduates of Marzivan College in Turkey.
Alice’s story now moves to Thanksgiving Eve, in Los Angeles, 1948. Alice was at the AGBU Dance, accompanied by her brother, Harry. Alice’s co-worker at May Company, Louise Yaldezian was there, too. Louise had said, “I want you to meet my brother,” not specifying which twin she meant. On this evening, Louise was being escorted by John. As the night went on, John asked Alice to dance. There was something about him. And there was something about her. He danced close, so close in fact that following an unknown impulse, Alice reached up and kissed the handsome 22-year-old right on the lips. Not surprisingly, John asked Alice out on a date. And, a few months later they were engaged.
The importance of family was highlighted in their marriage on November 6, 1949, as Alice’s Maid of Honor was Louise Yaldezian, soon to be Partamian. John’s best man was his twin brother and best friend, Chris, #1. Alice and John were married for just over 59 years. Alice was John’s partner.
Within the first year of their marriage, Alice gave birth in September to their first son, Chris the 2nd, Number 2; and their second son, Michael, followed in May of 1952, missing his Dad’s birthday by 5 days. These were the early years of the San Fernando Valley and together John and Alice watched it – and their boys – grow.
John and Alice built their young family’s life on the foundation of 4 things: Family. Work. The Church, And Service to community.
These 4 ideals came together with the founding of St. Peter Armenian Church.
John and Alice were founding members of the church. We, Mike and I went to Sunday school, Saturday Armenian School, and ACYO, while mom was a choir member and a member of the Ladies Society.
While dad was working, mom raised us. Alice did not have daughters, so she had us do chores that in more traditional Armenian homes were done by the daughters, these included, doing the laundry, vacuuming, washing dishes and cooking. I recall, that when we were still in elementary school, one morning, mom looked at us and said, “This is a frying pan, these are eggs, you crack the eggs into the pan, watch now.” And, she showed us how to make breakfast. She taught us how to cook: bacon and eggs, toast, cereal, and how to make pilaf, and even how to bar-b-que.
Because dad worked nights, by the time we were teenagers, we would help make dinner. One of the things for family unity that mom insisted on, was that we all eat dinner together, no TV, just food and conversation.
Mom also did the disciplining, or at least she did until Mike and I became teenagers. She would get the broom and chase us and give us a good whacking, until one day, I grabbed the broom and took it out of her hands mid-swing and said no more broom. She looked at Mike and I and said, “just wait until your father gets home.” Those words were usually the only discipline we needed. Michael being the “char dugha” heard those words more often than I.
Alice was also in charge of the checkbook. She made sure dad saved. She also made sure her boys saved too. I remember that by the time we were living in Woodland Hills, Mike and I had savings accounts. I remember that when we earned money, we were expected to put some into our savings accounts at the bank.
With the cooking, household chores and savings accounts, AY (what I called our mom, MCY called her Lady),{she} was teaching her boys to grow up to be responsible and self-sufficient men.
Her sons grew up. We married wonderful Armenian girls and into nice Armenian families. Alice finally got her daughters. Michael married Janet Dadigian in July 1977 and Chris #2 married Lucy Palangian in October 1978.
In 1979, to John and Alice’s greatest delight they became grandparents, when Michael’s son, David, was born. 1980 through 1986 she saw the rest of her grandchildren be born, Matthew, Michelle, Lauren and Carla. As the family expanded, Alice became a “grandma airplane,” to my kids because she would come up a visit us by airplane.
Her husband John was a joiner. So, Alice being his partner joined too. Alice served as a choir member for many years at St Peter, and as a Dirouhie in the Daughters of Vartan and even held national office as the Daughter’s Grand Chaplin. She was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Ararat home, even serving as chairlady.
When she did engage in leisure activity, she enjoyed reading and playing cards and Mexican tiles with friends. Alice also enjoyed Sports. Watching football, and golf but especially watching the Dodgers!
Alice traveled the world with John. To Egypt, to Mexico, to Armenia (several times), to Europe, across the USA, and a lot of back and forth, to and from the Bay Area to visit her son Chris and his family for holidays and events, back and forth across the valley, to and from La Habra, and LA basin for many meetings and family events.
After 59 years of marriage the Good Lord called her husband John home. It was hard at first for AY to adjust to her JG leaving her. But she did, especially with the help of her son Michael Charles, who had promised dad that he would look after mom. And, he did. He kept his promise to the end. As Mike would acknowledge, he did so with the backing of his wife, Janet, who supported him in keeping his promise.
Alice lived for 10-1/2 years after John passed away. She danced at grandchildren’s weddings and held in her arms three great- grandchildren.
She celebrated her 93rd birthday, this past August 16th, with her children and grandchildren. She did not want a cake. She wanted pumpkin pie. And even in her last days, when people stopped by and asked how she was, Alice replied, what she has been saying for years, I am fine. Just fine.
The Good Lord has a plan. He loves us all and of course, loves His servant Alice. The Good Lord decided it was time for Alice to return to the heavenly kingdom, where she will rejoin her partner and husband John, and where she will be “just fine.”
She is survived by her 2 sons (Chris and Mike), 2 daughters (Janet and Lucy), 5 grandchildren (David, Matthew, Michelle, Lauren, and Carla), and 3 grandsons-in-law, William, Andrew and Jon-Michael, and 3 great grandchildren (Dahlia Lucine, Andrew Hovan and Nairi Rose).
On behalf of the entire Yaldezian family, [all of us,] I thank you all for being here today in honoring and praying for our mom, that the Good Lord illuminates her soul and accepts her into his heavenly kingdom.
Vespers will be held at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, 17231 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406, on Tuesday, September 17th at 7:00 P.M. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, September 18th at 10:30 A.M. at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church. Interment to follow at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90068, at 2:00 P.M.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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