Karissa Sue Demirgian, age 21, of Elkton, MD passed away Thursday, June 2, 2022.  Born in Portsmouth, VA, on April 7, 2001, she was the daughter of Edward Demirgian, Jr. and Tonya (Chappell) Demirgian.

At the age of five, on the day before Easter Sunday, Karissa made the most important decision of her life by accepting Jesus as her Saviour - her one and only way to heaven.  This decision became her guide and passion for the remainder of her life.  Right until her last days, she would share with others about what Christ had done for her. Her desire and prayer are that everyone around her would find the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sin that can only come through a relationship with Jesus.  She loved to visit and share her heart with others.  All who knew and loved her enjoyed her zany sense of humor.

Karissa's life was characterized by loving people and by striving to do her absolute best in everything that she put her hands to.  She made beautiful gifts for others out of everyday things that people would normally throw away.

The Lord blessed her with an amazing musical and artistic ability which she used to minister to others in singing and playing instruments.  Her favorite instrument by far was the piano.  When she felt well enough, she could be found playing the piano for hours.  Sacred music would also bring a calmness and comfort to her like nothing else.

Karissa had huge dreams that seemed to change by the day.  She loved speed and loved to run.  She was home-schooled throughout her school years and worked hard to finish high school despite battling many physical and mental challenges.  She was gifted in languages and sciences, and even though she never formally was able to attend college, she spent much of her time studying the Bible, language, history, and science.  She often dreamed of being a physical therapist, a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a missionary, and a host of other careers.  The thread that could be found in any of these careers is that she ultimately wanted to do something that would help others and make a difference in their lives.  Whether she truly realized it or not, her life impacted so many.  Her testimony will continue to serve as a constant reminder to each of us of how we should follow and serve Jesus.  She will be missed.

In addition to her parents, survivors include her four younger siblings, Victoria, Nathanael, Seth, and Moriah Demirgian.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, June 9, 2022, at Glasgow Baptist Church, 3021 Old County Road, Newark, DE 19702.  Visitation will begin at 9:30am.  Interment will be at Gilpin Manor Memorial Park in Elkton, MD.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Glasgow Baptist Church at the above address in memory of Karissa which will be used to further her passion in the areas of sacred music and the Bible.