Arax Aroosian Balakian, Armenian-American community leader, dies at 96
In memory of Arax Aroosian Balakian
Arax Aroosian Balakian, a prominent Armenian-American from New Jersey, died peacefully at her home in Fort Lee on July 13 at age 96. Born in Paterson in 1927, she earned a chemistry degree from Bucknell University and worked as a researcher for Ciba Pharmaceutical Company. She married physician Gerard Balakian and raised four children in Tenafly, New Jersey, where she was a charter member of St. Thomas Armenian Church for 52 years. Her parents were genocide survivors from Diyarbakir; her mother survived the 1915 death marches. Balakian was active in community organizations and worked as a realtor until 2022. She supported civil rights, environmental causes, and Armenian relief efforts, including aid following the 1988 earthquake. She is survived by two daughters, one son, and multiple grandchildren.
