Dr. Tavitian served First Christian Congregational Church (UCC) in Swansea and was a mentor and friend to Associate Conference Minister Paul Nickerson.  An obituary from an on-line source follows. 

The Reverend Dr. Leon Tavitian, 80, of Cranston, died peacefully on June 25, 2010 at Coventry  Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation. Born in New York City, NY, he was a son of the late George and Lucy (Palanjian) Tavitian. He married Louise M. (Dogramajian) Tavitian on December 15, 1951.

He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a retired Pastor in several Armenian Evangelical churches and Congregational churches in New England. He was an alumnus of Bloomfield College, Roger Williams University, Crozier Theological Seminary, and received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological Seminary.

He is also survived by his children: Mark L. Tavitian and his wife Sandra of Cranston, Julia A. Tavitian, and Lucy G. Tavitian, both of Bayside, NY. He was the brother of the late John Tavitian.

His funeral will be held Monday, June 28, 2010 at 12:00 noon, in The Armenian Euphrates Evangelical Church, 13 Franklin Street, Providence. Burial with military honors will follow at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the church on Monday from 10:00 to 12:00 noon. Arrangements by THE URQUHART-MURPHY FUNERAL HOME.