IN MEMORIAM: SONIA BOGOSIAN, 88, DIRECTOR OF NURSING AND ARMENIAN ACTIVIST
Sonia Bogosian.
http://www.reporter.am/index.cfm?objectid=A3BC3EA0-F733-11DF-9A4E0003FF3452C2
Tuesday November 23, 2010
Paramus, N.J. - Sonia Esther Bogosian passed away on October 20 in
New Jersey.
Born in Aleppo, Syria on January 7, 1922 to parents Dr. Khatchig and
Astrid Boghossian, Sonia was a strong and independent woman from a very
young age. Her pioneering spirit, which led her to advance herself
in a society where women were not usually given the opportunity to
pursue education, no less a career, Sonia left Aleppo to go to Beirut,
Lebanon and enrolled herself at The American University of Beirut
Nursing School from where she received her R.N.
degree.
In 1956, after earning her nursing degree, she followed her brother
Edward, founder and editor of The Armenian Reporter, to America,
enrolling in Columbia University in New York City to earn a Masters
degree in nursing.
In her chosen profession of nursing, compassion for others was her
daily occupation. She was Director of Nursing at Flower and Fifth
Avenue Hospital for several years, and later went on to be Director of
Nursing at Dewitt Nursing Home in New York City for over thirty years.
At the same time, she pursued an active life in the Armenian community,
becoming a pillar of the AGBU and the Diocese, and lending her strong
support to the Armenian Assembly, the Armenian Tree Project, Church
and countless charitable and cultural endeavors. She had a special
place in her heart for the Arts and was a prominent figure in the
Armenian community.
After the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Sonia took a hiatus from her
job and went to her homeland to work as a nurse at a hospital in the
earthquake zone for over three months. Her compassion and patriotism
drove her to leave the comforts of her life in America to assist her
people at a time where they needed it most.
Sonia traveled every corner of the world, and was an extremely
cultured woman.
Although she never married, she had a large extended family that
adored her and she became a second mother to all of her nieces,
nephew, as well as her grandnieces and nephew, and great-grandnieces
and nephews. She was truly the matriarch of the Boghossian family.
Sonia is survived by her sister Fimi Schulze, sister-in-law Arlene
Boghossian, nieces Astrid Bogosian, Sonia-Monique Decker, Sonia
Kesaian, Sylvie Schulze, Sylva Boghossian, nephew Ernest Schulze,
great grand-nieces Lara Sanders, Louisa Willet, Deana Atenian,
Seda-Marie Kesaian, and great grand-nephews Campell and Ariso. Her
brothers Garbis Bogosian and Edward K. Boghossian predeceased her.
The family is requesting that donations in her memory be made to either
the Armenian-American Wellness Center or The Armenian Tree Project.
From: A. Papazian
Sonia Bogosian.
http://www.reporter.am/index.cfm?objectid=A3BC3EA0-F733-11DF-9A4E0003FF3452C2
Tuesday November 23, 2010
Paramus, N.J. - Sonia Esther Bogosian passed away on October 20 in
New Jersey.
Born in Aleppo, Syria on January 7, 1922 to parents Dr. Khatchig and
Astrid Boghossian, Sonia was a strong and independent woman from a very
young age. Her pioneering spirit, which led her to advance herself
in a society where women were not usually given the opportunity to
pursue education, no less a career, Sonia left Aleppo to go to Beirut,
Lebanon and enrolled herself at The American University of Beirut
Nursing School from where she received her R.N.
degree.
In 1956, after earning her nursing degree, she followed her brother
Edward, founder and editor of The Armenian Reporter, to America,
enrolling in Columbia University in New York City to earn a Masters
degree in nursing.
In her chosen profession of nursing, compassion for others was her
daily occupation. She was Director of Nursing at Flower and Fifth
Avenue Hospital for several years, and later went on to be Director of
Nursing at Dewitt Nursing Home in New York City for over thirty years.
At the same time, she pursued an active life in the Armenian community,
becoming a pillar of the AGBU and the Diocese, and lending her strong
support to the Armenian Assembly, the Armenian Tree Project, Church
and countless charitable and cultural endeavors. She had a special
place in her heart for the Arts and was a prominent figure in the
Armenian community.
After the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Sonia took a hiatus from her
job and went to her homeland to work as a nurse at a hospital in the
earthquake zone for over three months. Her compassion and patriotism
drove her to leave the comforts of her life in America to assist her
people at a time where they needed it most.
Sonia traveled every corner of the world, and was an extremely
cultured woman.
Although she never married, she had a large extended family that
adored her and she became a second mother to all of her nieces,
nephew, as well as her grandnieces and nephew, and great-grandnieces
and nephews. She was truly the matriarch of the Boghossian family.
Sonia is survived by her sister Fimi Schulze, sister-in-law Arlene
Boghossian, nieces Astrid Bogosian, Sonia-Monique Decker, Sonia
Kesaian, Sylvie Schulze, Sylva Boghossian, nephew Ernest Schulze,
great grand-nieces Lara Sanders, Louisa Willet, Deana Atenian,
Seda-Marie Kesaian, and great grand-nephews Campell and Ariso. Her
brothers Garbis Bogosian and Edward K. Boghossian predeceased her.
The family is requesting that donations in her memory be made to either
the Armenian-American Wellness Center or The Armenian Tree Project.
From: A. Papazian