LEXINGTON, Mass. — Haritun Arto Shahrik died on Sunday, June 20, 2021 peacefully from complications that began with a compression fracture. He would have turned 98 within two days of his passing.
He was born on June 22, 1923 in Istanbul, Turkey to Parsegh Shahrikian of Shabinkarahisar, Turkey and Azniv (Fermanian) of Tokat, Turkey. He was the younger of two siblings; his late brother Hrant was 11 years older, also born in Istanbul.
Haritun was a man who was larger than life, an enormous presence with a gentle demeanor, brilliant smile and twinkle in his eye. He immersed himself in science, and almost equally in philosophy, religion, spirituality, the arts and the psychology of the human condition.
A romantic at heart, he had an extraordinary mind. He was a deep thinker and seeker of knowledge from medical research to Armenian and world history and culture to the mysteries of the universe, and always encouraged and inspired his children and grandchildren to question everything and never stop learning.
“I’m 85 and am still learning, the lessons never stop,” he once said. He was full of wisdom which he imparted to his family over the years. And whether he was sharing a life lesson, or posing a question or simply recalling a funny memory, he pulled you in with his cadence of perfectly timed words and pauses, that often had his listeners at the edge of their seats. His blue eyes smiling throughout, he would often end with an “ayo” or “ays kan.”
Haritun attended St. Michel High School in Istanbul, and spent a year studying French at Istanbul’s Faculty of French Language and Literature. Next he pursued dentistry at Istanbul’s Faculty of Dentistry, graduating in 1952.
