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Tom Vartabedian
Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as
a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.
Latest posts by Tom Vartabedian (see all)
- Vartabedian: My Final Column - November 13, 2016
- A Hat to Match Any Occasion - October 19, 2016
- More Smiles Keep the Frowns Away - October 12, 2016
Tom,
You will be missed, but never forgotten. To all Hyes, wherever you may be, never forget his contribution to all of us.
May God grant you a safe journey to your final resting place.
With love,
Charles J. Janigian
Tom, long an inspiration to me and other writers, will be hugely missed. With a knack of capturing the essence of individuals and their stories, his written works will remain as a Bible for those who believe … in connections, kind words and love.
What a heartwarming and heartbreaking last column; uplifting in spirit but sad for the loss of this eloquent man. I’m grateful to have happened upon his message today. My deepest sympathy to his family and friends.
To my old AYF friend and fellow journalist you have accomplished what some only dream about. We will miss your columns and goodwill to the cause. If you think God will let you just rest, forget it. You’ll be put to work for the Armenian church and nation with Jimmy Tashjian and other Hye icons and ungers. Farewell but never forgotten—mitch
As only Tom could have written. He was one of the best Armenians I have had the pleasure of knowing. He made us all feel and do better. I will miss his constant encouragement and genuine congeniality. Asdvadz hokin lusavoreh.
Tom, you are going be missed by so many. Rest in peace.
A brave warrior rests. God grant unto His servant eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon him.
I have goosebumps all over…
I met Tom when I was on governing body of the AYF.I ne ver met a man more dedicated to the youth of the
organization than Tom. He would be at all the athletic events all day & evening, & cover the dances &
award ceremony Sunday evening. I missed Tom the last two Olympics, Mark Gavoor filled in for Tom. Mark
did a fantastic job, but it was not Tom. My condolences to his wife Nancy.
Rest in peace my friend…you will be missed.
Avo Alashaian
So long fine friend and Armenian. You gave of yourself and accomplished much. Your words made us think, hope, and be motivated to do better. Sorry you had to bear this illness. We will think of you fondly and pray for your family. Be at peace with Him.
What a loss!! Best legacy THAT HE LEFT for us….
“What you do for yourself invariably dies with you. What you do for others lives on and forms legacies.
“When troubles get you down, find your faith and give it a chance. It’ll be there waiting for you.”
I was unfamiliar with Mr. Vartabedian–until now. I am very moved by his writing, in particular, his final words. I love his heartfelt sentiments about community and the values we can find within our communities and our neighbors. My grandmother was born in Haverhill. I have a beautiful photograph–(probably hand colored) of her standing in the back yard of her home. She died so very young, just 68 years old, in 1978. Her name was Mary Victoria Ohanessian (known as Vicky). After she died, I remember going to Haverhill and taking a picture in front of the Haverhill Women’s Club.
I’m very sorry for the loss of Mr. Vartabedian. I grew up in Watertown, and am very familiar with Ruth Thomassian’s Armenian Museum, so I will go see the exhibit.
Along with so many other readers, community members and compatriots, I’ll miss you, Tom. As one of your longtime regular readers from the left coast, your column provided a window into an Armenian-American experience we’re removed from out west. Your everyday insights were always so genuine and warm, and your dedication to your craft and to your community was clear, pure, and inspiring. Thank you so much for the decades of pleasure and continuous community service you generously delivered. “Asdvadz hokit lousavoreh.”
My Dear friend Tom – what a great guy!
He touch us all with his pen and many accomplishments, so much so that he will be remembered for decades to come. What always impressed me about Tom was his sincere dedication to family,friends community and nation. He will always be remembered for his commitment to the Armenian Cause and dedication to his church and life-long profession as a writer and journalist. Many glowing words will be forthcoming during this coming week but as we bid him God’s speed to hi His loving arms, for me I can only say it has been an honor to have been his friend these many years.
No! Please God say it isn’t so! In spite of his numerous attempts to prepare us for the inevitable, I chose to ignore his declarations hoping and praying for some kind of miracle. As with all endeared people who leave us, I’m left with a void left in my heart. I’ve known him for about 65 years having first met him as a counselor at Camp Haiastan when I was a camper. Throughout the years he was omnipresent at all AYF Olympics and just about every Armenian community event. He always left me with a smile on my face as well as countless others with his quick wit, folksy charm, photographic proficiency and of course his insightful writing about everyday matters both universal and Armenian. I miss him already and I am dropping several a tear as I try to write this tribute to him. Until we meet again my dear friend —Asdvadz hokeed losavoreh!
The 1970’s my family waited for the Weekly to come in the mail. Poor Tom’s Almanac was the first (and sometimes the only) thing I read. He covered every Olymnpics and AYF event with enthusiasm; he knew most of us by name. Tom will surely be missed by the Armenian community; sincere condolences to his family and dear friends.
May God bless his soul and may he rest in peace.
Beautifully said Mr.Vartabedian as usual. You will be missed on so many levels.
rip
i am weeping with the news of the death of columnist Tom Vartabedian. I read the Armenian Weekly especially because of his columns and Betty Apigian Kessell. What a sad loss to all of us. My heartfelt condolences to his loving family and his extended Armenian/American families worldwide. He is irreplaceable……With sorrow….
It was a pleasure to know this wonderful man. He was an artist in every way with his eye and pen.
Rest in peace dear Tom, a fighter and brave man.????
Hearts are saddened with news of passing Columnist Tom Vartabedian. Heartfelt condolences to his loving family and his extended Armenian/American families worldwide. He is irreplaceable……….With sorrow
RIP!
Our heartfelt condolences for loosing the friendly and humorist journalist Tom with his deep and interesting articles. God bless and illuminate his kind soul. Amen.
What Vartabedian wrote,
“What you do for yourself invariably dies with you. What you do for others lives on and forms legacies.”
And I write…”Great writers they never sigh” and he was one of them.
oh my gosh his words are written in gold and so true
what a beautiful man. REMINDS us all each day is a gift. Live it to the fullest
R.I.P. Poor us that you are gone. God bless your soul.
Rest in peace Tom. Your grace and eloquence, and your commitment to the community you so nobly loved and served will be missed.
May MR. Vartabedian rest in Peace.
I will miss his column.
“If I can leave you with anything, please do not take our community for granted and get the most out of it. What you do for yourself invariably dies with you. What you do for others lives on and forms legacies.”
This statement truly describes the kind of person he was.
I have known Tom Vartabedian for his entire Hairenik-Armenian Weekly lifetime. He could have known me longer because of our shared love for the Armenian Community deeply committed to the Armenian Youth Federation and Armenian Revolutionary Federation. He was a fountain of happiness, joyful and every ready to tackle his assignment in the Armenian Community. His wife was a true trooper. She was there all the time. She carried his camera gear. She raised the children. She was every present with Tom, night and day at the AYF Olympic games.
Mary and I express our sympathies to the wife, mother and their children for this precious loss.
Armen K. Boyajian November 14, 2016
back in 2003 i was in Armenia wherev i met Tom ande two of his traveling buddies. They told me if i would like to get up in the morning and go for a morming walk in Yerevan.i knew of Mr. Vartabedian but had not the pleasure of meeting him.We walked and talked mainly about our thoughts on the home land,found he was quite comical when he noticed that the dogs in Armenia were not awakeat six o’clock in the morn.we just talked and spoke about people we knew,me being from Canada,he would ask howb some of his friends were doing back in Canada.i could write about that day forever.rergardless i’m saddened to hear about his passing ,if there is a heaven surely he must be telling all those interesting stories.may God enlighten your soul Mr.Tom Vartabedian.
Uncle Armen, I remember you telling me that story …in fact it all seemed too familiar as I read your post – only to realize it was YOU afterall. I enjoyed reading Tom’s column over the years, but didn’t have the pleasure of getting to know him personally. Thank you for sharing your memory. Though his shoes are gigantic, for the sake of our community and his legacy may they be filled some day.
My sincerest condolences to Mr. Vartabedian’s entire family. I knew Tom for a while, and was featured in his latest book. This tragic loss comes as a huge surprise to me; I know that he touched hearts and minds all over the Armenian community and beyond. His loss will truly be felt, especially in our beloved Merrimack Valley. Rest in Peace Mr. Tom Vartabedian. You will never be forgotten
With moistened eyes I write “goodbye, Tom” and thanks for the encouragement you gave me in our occasional e-mail conversations.
Tom!! wish I had kept in touch with you some how You were always good to the Amesbury Playhouse and to me when I did a play there but most of all 2 other things We went to school together and did not see each other for year and you appeared and the wonderful wedding picture you took of my Daughters wedding I will miss you But one day we shall meet again Thank you for all you did for New and pictures HUGS
What an amazing, altruistic, courageous, wise, and impacting man Tom Vartabedian was. I met him in 2005; he came to my house to interview me for a beautiful story in the paper. At that time, I was a new immigrant in the U.S. and was impressed at how comfortable I felt during the interview with him. We were talking like two old friends. Tom was open minded, down to earth, trustworthy, and respectable of immmigrants. He called to congratulate me everytime I was published in the Haverhill Gazette. He wrote me beautiful recommendations for scholarships and he featured me in the Haverhill Gazzette again… Thinking of my life as new immigrant of this country, it’s amazing how much Tom Vartabedian supported and impacted me.
It was his legacy to me; a newcomer to this country whose life was touched by a great man and thoughtful friend of the community.
Tom,
Your loss is a great one to the Armenian community of New England, and I can only imagine to the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, that read your columns and articles; this includes your non-Armenian friends and readers in the Haverhill Gazette.
I wish I had a better chance to get to know you a little more. You were a gentleman and a thoughtful, intelligent man who brought consideration and deliberation to all who knew you.
May the winds be fair and the skies choice as you go forth to your greatest of interviews.
“The best portion of a good man’s life: his little, nameless unremembered acts of kindness and love.” ― William Wordsworth. Describes Tom Vartabedian to a tee.
Farewell Tom, til we meet again. You will be remembered by all whose lives you touched through your writings in the Armenian Weekly for over 50years. You lived your life as a model Armenian and American citizen, community and church activist, admired by all facets of your life, ESPECIALLY, your Armenian brethren. Thanks. We appreciate your dedication. Asdvadz hoket loussvoreh.
Aram & Violet Gavoor
Rest in Peace Tom Vartabedian, you were such a special part of my childhood growing up in Haverhill.
We all live in Little Armenias where we have what we call volunteers and activists.
Tom was more than that–he was a Patriot—-moreso, a Spirit.
No one we know has done more, for so long. His definition of Armenian Cause/Hai Tahd was all things Armenian, community wide without organizational lines.
He saw things that were good and made them better; he saw things not so good and made them good. Never a harsh word, never a negative…if a man was to have a son, he would want that son to be like Tommy V.
He was the AYF’s number one cheerleader and our AYF generation’s number one spirit.
Tom always had a twinkle in his eye and warm words for all; his extended family of so many will feel sadness–and loneliness.
The son of Somerville became the Patriot from Haverhill, in a Little Armenia called Merrimack Valley.
Through the coming years, the proud son of Somerville will remain the ubiquitous Armenian–a Patriot without Peer.
Our deep respect and sympathy to Nancy and the family.
To Tom, whom was one of our closest friend & hard worker for the Armenian Weekly, the Lowell A.R.F. for whom he was a 50 year member which we will never forget on his numerous good deeds & write-ups down through the years. God Bless him & may he Rest in Peace.