Edward M. Kavjian, urologist

Edward M. Kavjian, 92, of Newtown Square, a retired urologist who was active in the Armenian American community, died May 6 at Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Dr. Kavjian and his family escaped the massacre of Armenians in his native Turkey and immigrated to the United States in 1920.

After graduating from West Philadelphia High School, where he was class president, he earned a bachelor's degree from Temple University. He earned a medical degree from Hahnemann University, where he was president of the senior class and of a medical fraternity.

During World War II, he served in the Army in the States.

After his discharge, he established a general practice in Upper Darby. He became a board-certified urologist in 1956, but continued to treat his longtime general practice patients, his daughter Carol Kaiserian said. They would bake him cookies at Christmas, she said, and were very upset when he retired in 1986.

Dr. Kavjian was associated with Woman's Medical College for many years and taught medical students and residents there. He also was on the staffs of Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Haverford State Hospital. In 1957, he was one of 15 doctors who established Haverford Community Hospital and was its chief of urology. In 2003, he established a scholarship for medical students at the Drexel University College of Medicine.

Since 1951, Dr. Kavjian had been married to Grace Kabakjian Kavjian. They lived in Haverford for more than 40 years before moving in 1999 to Dunwoody Village in Newtown Square.

He and his wife met at Armenian Martyrs' Congregational Church, then in West Philadelphia and now in Havertown. He was a Sunday school teacher and served on several committees at the church.

Dr. Kavjian was past commander of the Philadelphia lodge of Knights of Vartan, an Armenian service organization, and was past president of the Armenian Missionary Association. He also was former president of the Coopertown Elementary School PTA and of Rotary International in Havertown.

He enjoyed playing chess and cards with his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Dr. Kavjian is survived by sons Edward Jr. and David; daughters Joyce Stephenson and Judy Owens; and 15 grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Armenian Martyrs' Congregational Church, 100 N. Edmonds Ave., Havertown. Friends may call at 12:30 p.m.