Edward Charles Azarian

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Edward Charles Azarian died at his home May 1 from complications of liposarcoma at the age of 82.

Azarian was born Aug. 20, 1929 in Los Angeles. He was the only child of Charles Azarian and Queenie Nishkian, immigrants from Turkey of Armenian ancestry.

Azarian attended Washington High School and was then drafted into the United States Army. He went to Army language school and was stationed at a West German safe house for U.S. agents during the Cold War. Azarian then received a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and pursued a 25-year career as a juvenile probation officer for Los Angeles County.

In 1961, Azarian married Gloria Audrey Jordan, a nurse at a probation camp. The couple purchased a home on an acre of land in Malibu in 1967 for $45,000, where they raised three sons, Martin, Randall and Michael. A family highlight was traveling to 49 contiguous states in a motor home over the course of several separate trips.

Azarian developed a second career as a private investigator, specializing in locating missing heirs all over the world. A particularly interesting case was assisting President Ronald Reagan in the estate of a deceased cousin, who died with no known close relatives.

Azarian is survived by his wife, Gloria, and sons Randall of Grenoble, France and Michael of Carlsbad, Calif. He was preceded in death by his son Martin, who died in 1995.

Azarian’s body was donated to UCLA Medical School. An informal ceremony will take place at the family home on June 2. If you wish to attend, contact Michael Azarian at 858.663.9457 or mike@ipr.us.