Miritz was born in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Sarkis and Eleanor Jandegian and had three brothers: Jack, Santo and Mike. The family moved to Pasadena, California after WWII where her parents had an Armenian bakery and her brothers raised their families. Miritz met and married the love of her life, Charlie Barsamian, and came to live near his family in Yettem, California where they raised three children (Linda, Ron and Bryan) and operated a farm producing vegetables and grapes and most especially vine-ripened tomatoes along with other Armenian families in the area. Miritz was an accomplished seamstress and made many of the religious garments worn by the Armenian clergy. She was extremely active in her church, St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic of Yettem, and its Ladies Aid Society, as well as the Armenian Church Camp located nearby in the local mountains. Miritz was part of a very loving and nurturing community of friends and family throughout the state and was known for her sense of humor and her dedication to her church. Charlie and her parents and brothers all passed on before her. She is survived by her brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law: Kay Barsamian of Kingsburg (whom she provided care to for many years), Evelyn Jandegian of Pasadena and Rose Kaplan of Lindsay. She enjoyed her three children and their families, which grew to include seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren): Linda and Jack† Egger of Arcadia (Ryan and Shawna), Ron and Lori Barsamian of Fresno (Lindsay, Ashley and Kelsey), and Bryan and Carolyn† Barsamian of Kingsburg (Kimberly† and Casey), as well as her many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren and the many “kids” who attended church camp and enjoyed her cooking. Over the years, she also enjoyed the companionship of very annoying little Pomeranians. Services will be at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Yettem at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, to be followed by graveyard services at Visalia Cemetery and a reception at St. Mary’s Church Hall.
