A ceremony celebrating the life of two-term Republican California Gov. George Deukmejian, who died of natural causes at his Long Beach home in May, is scheduled to be held at the Terrace Theater this Saturday, June 9.
The memorial is open to the public and will begin at 1:00PM with guests recommended to arrive by 12:30PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to the YMCA-Model Legislature George Deukmejian Endowment, the California Science Center, CSU Long Beach Disabled Student Services or the Ararat Home of Los Angeles.
The 89-year-old was born in New York and made Long Beach his adopted city where he lived for more than 55 years.
Deukmejian, who also served in the state legislature and as attorney general, was given the key to the city in 2015.
“The city and the people in it have always been very nice to me,” Deukmejian said then. “They saw it fit to vote for me a time or two, and that is quite an honor.”
“George was a fine, decent man of integrity and character who was tremendously proud of his Armenian heritage,” his family wrote in an obituary. “He loved his family and his friends and was deeply grateful to the many loyal people who believed in him and served his administrations.”
The Terrace Theater is located at 300 East Ocean Boulevard.