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Obituary: Ralph Sam Tufenkian
RALPH SAM TUFENKIAN
March 16, 1926 – March 11, 2024
Ralph Sam Tufenkian, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully on March 11, 2024, at his home in Glendale. He was born to Virginia Bedig and Sam Tufenkian in Los Angeles on Brighton Ave. His family consisted of four children – Marion, Virginia Mae, Ralph, and Billy.
Ralph attended Los Angeles schools graduating from Los Angeles High School in 1944. After High School he entered the US Army and served in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He trained in Intelligence Reconnaissance and performed his duties in Saipan and Iwojima. The war ended and he moved to Okinawa where he joined the US Air Force and became a Turbo Superharge Specialist for the B-29.
Ralph attended Gethsemene Church and during a CE volleyball event met Savey Shirvanian. They were married on July 12, 1958.
Ralph worked at Vacco Industries, a manufacturer of high pressure valves and filters used in the aerospace industry as well on all nuclear powered submarines. In 1970 he founded Stagg Equipment Corporation where he designed and received three US patents for waste containers. He later joined Western Waste Industries as VP of Corporate Products. He assisted the development of six solid waste landfills, and the construction of five waste transfer and recycling stations.
Together, Ralph and Savey had three children – Richard, Sandra and Greg. Tragically they lost their son Richard in 1990. Instead of being defeated, Ralph and Savey embarked on a new and very important part of their life – providing for and helping Armenian children.
Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, March 20 at 1 p.m at the United Armenian Congregational Church, located at 3480 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles. Internment will follow at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.
In lieu of flowers are St. Mary’s Richard Tufenkian Pre-School and Armenian Educational Foundation Tufenkian Richard Tufenkian Fund.