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Brief Biography of Doctors Grigor and Arax Acopian |
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| Grigor
Acopian, the first child of Bagdasar and Mariam Acopian, was born
on August 5, 1892 in Karadakh, Iran. After attending elementary school
in Resht, Iran and graduating from high school in Shushi, Kharabakh
and the Yurieff School of Dentistry, in 1914 he enrolled in the School
of Dental Medicine in Tiflis, Georgia. He worked as a lecturer and
instructor at the school during his internship, and graduated as a
Doctor of Dentistry in 1919. He remained in Tiflis until 1921, establishing his own practice while continuing to teach at the school. He also became an active member of community organizations and committees, and for the remainder of his life continued to participate in community affairs. Arax Djigardjian was born on December 17, 1898 in Kars, (now in Turkey), into the large and well known middle-class family of Sargis and Arusiak Djigardjian. In 1915, the Djigardjian family left Kars for Tiflis, where Arax attended and graduated from the College of Dentistry. She then entered the State University to pursue specialization within her field, graduated with honors in 1921, and received the title of Dental Surgeon. She was appointed the Associate Dean of the university's Medical School. Grigor met Arax at the College of Dentistry, where she had been one of his students, and later they were married. In 1921, Grigor received a tip from a dental student, an official of the Communist party, that his life was in danger. (This was because he was a member of the Citizens Committee to the Tiflis Health Department, and had been appointed by the Duma.) The Acopians left Georgia, moving first to Tabriz, Iran where they had three children: Eleanora, Sarkis and Mariam. In 1932 the family moved to Tehran, Iran, where Grigor and Arax continued to practice dentistry. Grigor received numerous awards of recognition for his achievements, including the Royal Iranian Medal of Honor in Science and Education. He often asked friends that were prominent Iranian officials to help Armenians in distress. In 1928, Arax represented Iran at the Intenational Conference of Dentistry held in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), during which she received high commendations. In the mid-1940's the Acopian children were sent to school in the United States, where all married and decided to remain. Grigor and Arax then followed their children to the United States in 1950. Dr. Arax Acopian died of cancer on July 20, 1967, in New York. Dr. Grigor Acopian died peacefully on March 12, 1978, at home in Melbourne, Florida. |
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| Acopian family photo, taken in 1911 | |
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| Djigardjian family photo, taken in 1912 | |
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| Doctors Grigor and Arax Acopian with their three children | |
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| Mr. and Mrs. Acopian in Gyumri, Armenia | |