Gladys Ashjian Bequest of $50,000 to Benefit ASP

Staff Report

Armenian Studies Program Coordinator Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian announced that Gladys Z. Ashjian has made a generous bequest of $50,000 to the Armenian Studies Program to establish the Gladys Z. Ashjian Endowment for Armenian Studies.

Ashjian was a 1930 graduate of Fresno State and the proceeds of her endowment will be used to promote Armenian Studies at Fresno State. Gladys Ashjian was born in Rhode Island in November 1905 and died on March 14, 2012 at the age of 106.

Ashjian had three brothers—Vahe, Gerard, and Paul and while the brothers used the last name of Ashton, Gladys preferred the Armenian spelling of Ashjian. The family moved to Fowler, California in the 1930s and farmed in the area.

Ms. Ashjian moved to Tracy in 1951 and taught Home Economics at Tracy High School for 18 years before retiring. Ashjian demonstrated her philanthropic interests by initiating a scholarship program for Tracy High graduates. In her retirement, Gladys enjoyed traveling, especially taking cruises, sailing 12 times to exotic locales such as Malaysia, many countries in Africa, and Russia.

Ms. Ashjian was preceded in death by her late brothers Gerard Ashton and Paul Ashton, and is survived by two nieces, Gerrilyn Ashton of Soquel, California, and Diane McKillop of Forestville, California.

She is also survived by cousins Sheri Sharkey Manoogian and Paul DeOrian.