Bethel Bilezikian Charkoudian of Newton, Massachusetts passed away peacefully at her home on September 21, 2024 surrounded by loving family. Charkoudian was known for her creative spirit, dynamic energy and deep commitment to family, friends and community. She was tirelessly dedicated to helping people of all walks of life and was a cherished pillar of the Massachusetts Armenian community.
Notably, in working with the Armenian Library Museum of America (ALMA), she conducted countless oral history interviews that will preserve the legacy and stories of Armenian Genocide survivors for generations to come.
Born on October 31, 1940, Charkoudian proudly embraced being a Halloween baby. The daughter of the late Peter and Lucille (Jenny) Vartanian Bilezikian, she was a lifelong resident of Newton. Charkoudian was an alumna of Newton High School, Radcliffe College, and Yale and Columbia Graduate Schools. She served as an English teacher and guidance counselor in Newton and in Boston Public Schools.
Bethel was the beloved wife and life partner to Levon Charkoudian; and loving mother to Nisha, Lorig, Deron and Karoun. She was grandmother to Aline, Raffi, Dylan, Vivian, Josie, Cecile and Jack; great-grandmother to RJ and Lydia; and mother in-law to Meghan and John. Her generous spirit lives on in all of them. She is survived by her sister Martha McCool of La Quinta, CA, and her brother James Bilezikian of Jacksonville, FL.
Charkoudian celebrated her heritage and creative passion for stories and photos on her blog https://marashgirl.blogspot.com which we invite you to visit in her memory.
Funeral services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton on Saturday, September 28 at 11 a.m. Visiting hours at Giragosian Funeral Home, 576 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown on Friday from 6-8 p.m. Graveside services will be held at Newton Cemetery followed by a hokejash (luncheon) at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Friends and family are welcome to attend.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Charkoudian’s memory to the Armenian Museum of America, 65 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472, the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), 31 W. Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652 or Armenia Tree Project, 400 West Cummings Park, Suite 3725, Woburn, MA 01801.
Guest Contributor
Latest posts by Guest Contributor (see all)
- ACF pays tribute to composer Diane Goolkasian Rahbee - October 9, 2024
- Unity, spiritual renewal to mark His Holiness Aram I’s visit to North Andover’s Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church - October 8, 2024
- In Memory of Vachik Khachatourian - October 8, 2024
Be the first to comment