The Armenian Assembly of America Mourns Longtime Trustee H. Kenneth Norian

Washington, D.C. - The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) mourns the passing of longtime Assembly Trustee H. Kenneth Norian of Beverly Hills, California.

“Ken embodied the values at the heart of the Assembly's mission, bringing together a deep commitment to civic engagement in the United States with an unwavering devotion to the Armenian American community. His leadership, service, and enduring dedication touched countless lives and strengthened our community for generations to come,” said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

"Ken will be remembered with admiration and deep respect as we extend our condolences to his wife Cynthia, children Thomas, Timothy and his wife, PJ; John and his wife, Gia; and their daughter, Cathleen Caroun,” Ardouny continued.

Full Obituary Notice:

April 15, 1933 - August 25, 2026 — H. Kenneth Norian was born in 1933 in New Jersey and passed away peacefully at home in Beverly Hills. Born to Siran and Harry Norian, Armenian immigrants whose families came from Aintab, Turkey, Ken was the third of four brothers, and grew up in a close-knit family that remained an important part of his life.

Ken attended Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey, where he distinguished himself as a natural leader, serving as Student Body President.

He went on to Yale University, where his most significant achievement was serving as Business Manager of the Yale Daily News, a role that reflected both his leadership abilities and his keen interest in business and communications.

Following Yale, Ken served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Artillery. After completing his military service, Ken partnered with his brother to establish a real estate development company, where they built custom homes in northern New Jersey.

In 1963, Ken married Cynthia Dickranian, whom he had met at a party in New Jersey. Two years later, the couple moved west to California, where Ken became deeply involved in the business, civic, legal, and Armenian-American communities.

For nineteen years, Ken served as President of Premier Market of Beverly Hills. Under his leadership, he expanded the company's home-delivery service and wine business in ways that were decades ahead of their time.

Ken served as Treasurer of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and was a Founding Director of the Beverly Hills Education Foundation. For eleven years, he served as an Administrative Appellate Law Judge through the California State Bar Court, which handles attorney discipline matters under the jurisdiction of the California Supreme Court. He continued his service to the legal community as a volunteer lay arbitrator, helping resolve attorney-client fee disputes for the State Bar of California.

Ken's Armenian heritage remained a lifelong, foundational part of his identity. He served as a Fellow Trustee of the Armenian Assembly of America since its inception. He was also a devoted benefactor of the Armenian Church of North America, Western Diocese, and a forty-year Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. Ken strongly supported the election campaigns of Governor George Deukmejian. His civic involvement reflected his belief that citizenship was not passive, but something to be actively lived. Ken remained deeply committed to preserving and strengthening the Armenian-American community for future generations.

For all of Ken's professional accomplishments, public service, interests, and lifelong pursuits, his greatest source of pride was his family. He and Cindy built a marriage and family that spanned more than six decades. They were the proud parents of four children: Thomas Archer; Timothy Katcher and his wife, PJ; John Mathew and his wife, Gia; and their daughter, Cathleen Caroun. They were also blessed with eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, who brought immense joy and pride to their lives.

Ken will be remembered not only for what he accomplished, but for the way he approached life. He was an avid reader, a music lover, and had a genuine curiosity about new technology. His generosity, work ethic, humor, and enthusiasm for life will live on in the generations that follow him.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, September 3rd at St. James Armenian Apostolic Church at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to The Armenian Assembly of America, The Western Diocese Camp Endowment Fund, or The St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of Los Angeles Memorial Fund.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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NR #2026-32