Ara Manukian, born on March 3, 1963, in New York City, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 6, 2025. He is survived by his beloved wife of 26 years, Belinda Scott Manukian; his father, Nurhan Manukian; his loving son, Thomas Scott Manukian, and daughter-in-law, Alexandra; his younger brother, Lloyd Simpat Manukian, his wife Lilit, and their two beautiful daughters, Aimee and Isabella. Ara was preceded in death by his cherished mother, Doris Manukian.
As a child, Ara lived a rich, global life. Due to his father Nurhan's career as an engineer, the family moved frequently, living in New Jersey, Bangkok, Thailand, and Manila, Philippines. In the mid-to-late 1970s, they resided in Tripoli, Libya. A lifelong admirer of the military, particularly the Navy, Ara returned to the United States in 1978 to attend high school as a boarding student at Admiral Farragut Academy. It was during his time there that he earned the lifelong nickname, "Nuke." Ara excelled at the Academy, culminating his high school career by being named Battalion Executive Officer (BX/O), the second-highest ranked student. He graduated magna cum laude, served as captain of the rifle team, participated in the drill team, and played on the varsity football team.
Following graduation, Ara pursued his passion for science and engineering. He began his studies in Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering at Auburn University before transferring to the University of Florida, where he found his lasting connection and proudly became a "Gator for life." His distinguished career as an engineer spanned three decades, during which he became a globally recognized specialist in the fields of space exploration and flight engineering. His major accomplishments include co-designing and fabricating hardware that flew as primary payloads on two NASA Space Shuttle Missions (STS-77 and STS-87), holding four U.S. patents and licensing the "HYDROCAPSULE" encapsulation technology. He served as a Sr. Avionics System Test Engineer and Flight Test Engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, driving the testing and validation for next-generation military aircraft with organizations like L3Harris Technologies, Rockwell Collins, Sikorsky, and Bell Flight on programs such as the V-280 VALOR tilt-rotor aircraft.
Beyond his professional accomplishments as a scientist and engineer, Ara was deeply adored within his community. He was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America and offered his help to his neighbors whenever possible. Above all, Ara was a dedicated son, brother, husband, and father, consistently prioritizing his family, country, and God.
A Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Faith Catholic Church. Burial will be in Ponte Vedra Valley.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Tunnels to Towers, https://t2t.org/. in support of veterans, an act that deeply resonated with Ara's commitment to service.
