Alice Parnakian

Alice Parnakian, a devoted and compassionate woman, peacefully passed away on Thursday, August 10, 2023, in Temecula, California at the age of 96. She was born on June 25, 1927, in the Bronx, New York, to her loving parents George and Satenig Deundian. Alice, the first born of Armenian-American heritage, held close the stories her mother shared about their family’s escape from the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide.

From an early age, Alice embraced the value of hard work. She dedicated her years from 8 to 18 to actively assisting her parents on their 30-acre raisin and apricot farm in Fresno, California. She graduated from Central Union High School in Fresno, California in 1945 where she lettered in softball. In 1945, she took her first official job at the California Vineyards Association, where she checked the figures on vineyard invoices.

Alice’s life was profoundly enriched when she married John Isaac Parnakian on May 11, 1946, marking the beginning of a life filled with love, family, and service. Together, Alice and John established a strong foundation of faith by starting a small home church in Huntington Beach in 1959, which later blossomed into The Evangelical Free Church of Huntington Beach (now called Beach Bible Church). One of their biggest joys was working with the youth in their church and helping them grow in their faith. Their love for God and community shaped their lives, as they supported and uplifted the people around them.

Alongside her husband, she contributed to their business, HB Furniture, located on Main Street in Huntington Beach. In 1989, Alice and John’s acquired a home on the Big Island of Hawaii, where their daughter Dorothy had established her own family. There, they embraced the opportunity to fish and enjoy island life on a part-time basis.

For 77 years, she called Huntington Beach home, actively engaging in community-building and offering her support to local businesses. Following the passing of her husband in 1995, Alice directed her energies towards crafting works of art through crochet and dollmaking, which were lovingly shared with family, friends, and non-profit organizations. Alongside her artistic pursuits, she demonstrated her talents in sewing and delighted her loved ones with delectable Armenian food. She also continued her husband’s legacy by managing their rental properties throughout Huntington Beach. She successfully fought the city to preserve her home on 1st Street, a testament to her strength and determination.

Alice’s profound faith in the Lord was evident to all who knew her. Her devotion to God and her family was the cornerstone of her life. Her legacy of faith, love, and dedication will continue to inspire all who knew her.

Alice is survived by her loving children, Tom Parnakian (Debbie) and Dorothy Walsh (Jerry Walsh, Jr.), and her cherished grandchildren, Jeff Parnakian, Joy Teson, Erinn Walsh, and Jerry Walsh III. She was predeceased by her brother Matthew Deundian, her husband John Isaac Parnakian, and her daughter Anita Goodall.

The family will hold a private memorial to honor Alice’s remarkable life, and she will be laid to rest beside her husband at Westminster Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in Alice’s memory to the Armenian Relief and Development Association (www.ardaglobal.org), 1536 E. Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104.

Alice Parnakian will be remembered as a woman of faith, a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a cherished grandmother whose legacy of service and love will continue to inspire generations to come. Proverbs 31:30-31 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to England Family Mortuary, Inc.