Richard H. Gratchian

Owned Gratchian Electric in Bridgeport

Richard H. Gratchian 87, of Ormond Beach, Fla., formerly of Trumbull, died May 19. Mr Gratchian was born in Wilkes Barre, Penn., and spent much of his childhood in Brooklyn, N.Y.

He is survived by his four daughters, Laura Rice and her husband, Kevin, of Newtown, Annette Masters of Baltimore, Md., Debra Gilbert of Essex, and Gail Gartland and her husband, Russ, of Port Charlotte, Fla.; as well as his seven grandchildren, Jessica L. Masters of Baltimore, Md., Kevin R. Rice, MD, of Washington, D.C., Lindsay N. Rice, of Narragansett, R.I., Ryan G. Gilbert of Hebron, Kara K. Gilbert of Narragansett, R.I., and Casey and Colin Gartland of Port Charlotte, Fla.; and great-grandson, Gian. He is also survived by his older brother, Fred Gratchian, who was a partner with him in an electrical contracting business for approximately 30 years, Gratchian Electric, Inc. Gratchian Electric was located in Bridgeport until Mr Gratchian’s retirement.

He served during World War II as a Seabee in the Navy and was stationed in Scotland where he met his future wife, Lena Miller. They were married in Scotland, settled in Bridgeport, and eventually moved to Trumbull. Their marriage lasted 56 years before his wife’s passing in 2002.

He was a longtime member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union #488. During his lifetime he was very active in the Holy Ascension Armenian Apostolic Church in Trumbull and a longtime Mason at the St John’s Lodge #8 in Stratford.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Holy Ascension Armenian Apostolic Church, 1460 Huntington Turnpike, Trumbull CT 06611 or to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, PO Box 5022, Wallingford CT 06492.

The Newtown Bee        June 15, 2007