Nazar Nazarian: A Man of Charity and Community Leader On the Occasion of His 90th Birthday

Nazarian had vast respect toward our Armenian political figures. This too he inherited from his father and brothers.

First of all, he always had unreserved esteem for Prof. Parounag Tovmassian, the chairman for many years of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADLP)’s Central Committee. During Nazarian’s university years, he attended Tovmassian’s lectures for a period of time. Tovmassian for many years worked as a party leader with Nazarian’s father, Levon Effendi, and his brothers Garbis and Nubar, in the AGBU and the Armenian Youth Association, as well as with his sister Marie’s husband Puzant Markarian.

Nazarian often recalled the sad fratricidal incidents of the Lebanese civil war of 1958, which Nubar was barely able to escape with his life through Tovmassian’s advice. He also recalled his father’s expulsion from St. Nshan Cathedral, the headquarters of the local diocese, for upholding the primacy of Holy Echmiadzin.

Nazarian also had a high opinion of Maître Hrachya Setrakian. He wanted to be present without fail at the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA)’s representative assembly in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel after he found out that Setrakian would be the speaker that day, and Nazarian encouraged Louise Simone to also attend. Then he became permanently connected to Setrakian as an in-law when his niece Vera married Berge Setrakian, who later became president of the AGBU.

Nazarian always retained a high opinion of AGBU and ADLP officials. He often wanted me to connect him by telephone to Edmond Azadian, assistant for Armenian affairs of Alex Manoogian in Detroit, in order to find out the news from the diaspora.

He admired Dr. Arshavir Gundjian, the scientist and ADL party leader who was part of the AGBU central leadership. He expressed praise of his work in the education field, at the AGBU school founded in Montreal, the weekly Abaka, and his unique role in TCA and the Diocese, and would exclaim in Armenian, “See, the Ramgavars [ADLP] have a man like Gundjian—who do you have?”

Perhaps because his mother, Satenig, was a native of Arapgir, he approved of Dr. Nubar Berberian, the longtime editor of the daily Armenian-language ADLP newspaper Baikar. They saw each other for the last time last year at the opening of the new TCA center in Englewood Cliffs, and together cut the ribbon in the presence of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, and Garen Nazarian, then Armenia’s ambassador to the United Nations. Berberian and Nazar Nazarian are practically the same age.

Love of Armenian Writers

Our house is always open to Armenian writers and intellectuals. Some have been our guests for weeks. Nazarian, my boss, would find out about their arrival, and would want to meet them in the afternoon. I would accept, because sometimes they would remain stuck in the house. Among the guests who visited Nazarian’s office are, from the homeland, Sero Khanzadian, Vardges Petrosian, Zori Balayan, Shahen Khachaturian, Lusine Zakarian, Bella Darbinian, Hovhannes Badalian, and Prof. Kevork Kherlopian; painters Hakob Hakobyan and Sargis Muratian; from the diaspora, visited Dr. Toros Toranian, Krikor Norigian, Paul Guiragosian, Simon Simonian, and Vahe Vahian. This does not even include the names of writers and intellectuals from various parts of the US. Nazarian felt happy in engaging them all in intimate conversation.

Nazarian enjoys reading the weekly Armenian Mirror-Spectator, published in Watertown. He has been a major supporter of this paper, which covers developments in Armenian culture as well as political and social issues.

In recent years, he became quite close to Garen Nazarian, the UN representative of the Republic of Armenia. The NY chapter of TCA had organized an event to welcome the newly-appointed ambassador and his wife Nana. The Nazarians were present. Afterwards, they continued their friendship with the ambassador by frequently visiting one another. The Nazarians completely renovated the New York embassy, tesbanin khaterin hamar.

The same thing happened with the present ambassador, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, when Tekeyan celebrated my 45th anniversary of service to our people and the Nazarians were introduced to him at the event.

With His Own Circle

He has never liked to sit alone at a table. Once a week, even at this patriarchal age, he invites well known Armenians of the greater NY area to join him and discuss Armenian affairs. His closest friends during the last five years have been Dr. and Mrs. Raffi and Shoghag Hovanessian, whose parents he knew back in Beirut. They are a constant presence in his daily life, but often Armenian benefactors Harry Toufayian, Sarkis Bedevian and Dr. Haroutune Mekhjian, and prominent Armenians Dr. Toros Tchaghlassian, Shahe Jebejian, Jack Adanalian, Hagop Kouyoumjian and Khoren Nalbandian also participate. His nephew Alex Markarian convenes this group of around 20 Armenians.

It must be noted that Nazar and Artemis Nazarian have a particular affection for Armenian physicians. When my friend Berge Setrakian introduced me to Nazar, around 40 years ago, he asked me whether I had any relatives who were doctors. I said, yes, my uncle, brother and cousin…so there are plenty of Dr. Vartivarians in our family. He quickly questioned why I too did not become a doctor. A year later, when my brother Zareh came to settle in New Jersey, I introduced the two of them, and this raised his estimation of me up a notch.

His son Levon too became a doctor. He not only has been successful in his field, but also is a cofounder of an ultrasound training center in Yerevan, Armenia. Nazarian’s daughter Seta works to serve Armenian art, and to make the rights of Armenians known in university circles.

Finally, it must be mentioned that Nazar Nazarian has always tried to hire Armenian employees in his offices and warehouses. This is an old family custom he inherited from his father and brothers. After the death of his maternal cousin George Der Hovhannesian, he gave his position to me. Then, consecutively, he hired Sonig Vayejian, Onnig Jingeozian, Hrair Ghazarian, Movses Kazanjian, Hagop Kroushian, Raffi Kradjian, Hovig Ayazian, Alex Markarian, Norair Megerdichian, who succeeded in a secure environment. They always remained grateful.

It remains for us on his 90th birthday to congratulate our great benefactor, beloved to all, and wish Nazar health and long life. Our hope is that one day that we will see his name on a Nazarian Youth and Community Center in the New York area.

(Translated from Armenian)