Edward N. Koshgarian of Koshgarian Rug
killed
Thursday, December 02, 2004
News - Evanston Review - Koshgarian rug owner killed
News - Evanston Review: "Koshgarian rug owner killed
BY KAREN BERKOWITZ
STAFF WRITER
A 78-year-old man who for decades ran a family carpet
business in Evanston was killed Nov. 23 when he was
struck by a sports-utility vehicle while crossing Central
Street.
Services for Edward N. Koshgarian were held Saturday at
St. James Armenian Church, 816 Church St.
The fatal accident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. as
Koshgarian was leaving his cousin's Central Rug and
Carpet Co., 3006 Central St., where the semi-retired
Koshgarian continued to serve his longtime clientele.
According to witnesses, he had crossed Central Street to
go to his car on the north side of the street, but
apparently decided to backtrack and return to the south
side of the street.
Cmdr. Joseph Bellino said Koshgarian was standing at the
double, yellow lines in the middle of the roadway,
waiting for an eastbound bus to clear his path, when he
was struck by a GMC Yukon traveling westbound. An
Evanston fire ambulance arrived at 5:11 p.m. and took
Koshgarian to St. Francis Hospital. He was pronounced
dead at 9:23 p.m.
The driver, Ann Hunzinger, 53, of Gurnee, was ticketed
for failure to exercise due care. She is to appear in
traffic court at the Skokie branch of Cook County Circuit
Court on Dec. 15.
The accident occurred 14 months after Merle Kingman, 86,
and his wife of more than 60 years, Melva Kingman, 85,
were killed when they were struck by a car while crossing
Central Street at Prairie Avenue.
Koshgarian, of 3208 Bellwood Lane, Glenview, had been
semi-retired since 2001, when he sold the building at
1911 Church St. that had housed the family's carpet
businesses for 75 years.
Koshgarian's father, Luther Koshgarian, founded the
carpet business in 1906. The family lived in a storefront
over the shop and Ed Koshgarian began helping out in the
business by washing rugs at the age of 8, according to
the family.
He also accompanied his father on visits to customers'
homes. As a teenager, he studied violin at Northwestern
University and practiced three to four hours each day
while continuing to work in the family business.
In 1944, he left high school to join the Army and served
as a heavy artillery shell loader during World War II. He
made a significant contribution during the Battle of the
Bulge, according to his family.
In 1946, he returned to the family business, working with
his father and brother Robert. He took over day-to-day
management in 1954 with the death of his father, Luther.
His brother Robert passed away in 1996.
He continued to play stringed instruments, including the
mandolin, guitar and violin, and performed in several
community orchestras.
"He was a genuine guy," said his son-in-law,
Larry Farsakian. "He would go into somebody's home
and if it was a good (Oriental rug), he would tell them,
and if was bad, he would tell them.
"He presented it in a way that you were not
insulted. After telling you that your rug was bad, he'd
ask about your family and start talking about his
family."
Mr. Koshgarian is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mary
Anne Koshgarian. He also is survived by three daughters
and sons-in-law: Wendy and Larry Farsakian, Janelle and
Jeffrey Baderian and Eydie and Michael Pridavka."
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