WAYNE, Penn. — Rose Yessayan Bazarbashian found eternal peace on February 19, surrounded by her sons and daughter-in-law in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Born on March 10, 1938, in Aleppo, Syria, to Levon and Hayganoush Yessayan, Rose grew up surrounded by the love of her sister, Liza, and her brothers, Garo and Nazareth, in a close-knit and devoted family.
She pursued higher education in nursing at the American University of Beirut before emigrating to the United States in 1960. Committed to furthering her clinical excellence, she continued her studies at Boston College, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1963, and obtained her Master of Science in Nursing from Boston University. In later years, while managing family and a busy career, she achieved the designation of nurse practitioner through a second Master of Science in Advanced Practice Nursing from Eastern University.
Rose began her distinguished nursing career in labor and delivery nursing, then later as nursing instructor at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she served for more than a decade. Her dedication to patient care and women’s health laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to the nursing profession. She served as a nursing instructor at the Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing until 1992, and later at the Schools of Nursing at both Frankford Hospital and Chester County Hospital, shaping the next generation of nurses with both knowledge and compassion. In the latter years of her career, Rose served as night supervisor for several retirement communities including Devon Manor and Dunwoody Village, where her steady presence and gentle care brought comfort to many residents. A tireless and devoted provider, Rose even worked two jobs for several consecutive years to provide for her family’s well-being. Remarkably, several nurses who later cared for her during her time at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital and Wayne Center had once been among her students.
In 1977, Rose married her beloved husband of 31 years, the late Antoine Bazarbashian, and together they built their life in the Philadelphia area. They made their home in Paoli, Pennsylvania, where they raised their two sons, Armen and Vicken, in a household grounded in faith, love and opportunity. Rose was a devoted wife and mother whose love for her family was boundless. She found great joy in cooking and baking, generously sharing her culinary talents with family and friends. Her home was always filled with warmth, hospitality, and the comforting aroma of a lovingly prepared meal. She was especially famous for her baklava and has graciously permitted the family to disclose her secret ingredient: a splash of rosewater.
Rose was deeply committed to her Armenian heritage and actively supported numerous Armenian causes. Rose was instrumental in helping lead the Philadelphia chapter of the Tekeyan Cultural Association. Her organizational skills and steady leadership supported countless cultural events and initiatives over the decades, leaving a lasting imprint on the multi-national Tekeyan organization. Rose was a dedicated parishioner of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, where she faithfully volunteered for many years, most notably running the Attic Treasures table at the parish’s Annual Christmas Festival and as a Parish Nurse.
