Mother, grandmother, and great grandmother Mrs. Bercuhi Sirpuhi Hagopyan (born Sarafman and legally known as Agopyan due to civil servants in Turkey dropping the H) entered into her eternal rest on October 15, 2019. She was born on November 12, 1931 in Istanbul Turkey to Meline Kozalakyan and Hagop Sarafman, their only child. Bercuhi was trilingual (Armenian, Turkish, and Greek) from an early age onwards due to her living conditions in Istanbul, and acquired a working knowledge of German, French, and English later in life. She was a great pianist, and seamstress (prior to marrying Hayk Hagopyan was working as a designer and seamstress in a fashion house in Istanbul). After she met love of her life, her late husband Hayk, in the mayhem of 6 September 1956, at the request of her husband gave up on her career aspirations to devote her life to her husband and children. She was a selfless, caring, loving, and compassionate human being, child, wife, mother, grandmother ...…. She was frugal, and an expert in bargaining. She loved to knit, crochet, sew, swim, travel, sing, dance and cook everything from scratch; her dinner parties were legendary.
In 1980 she immigrated to Canada with her family and lived in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver (because of her daughter’s moves) until 2008. She has been living in Los Angeles California for the past 11 years.
With the slow onset of dementia, she gradually withdrew herself from everything she enjoyed in life and lived the last two years of her life in a condition that she feared the most: being dependent on others. She begged her children to end her life if she ever forgot who she was and who her children were. Thank God until her last breath she knew that she was Bercuhi and her children were Ayda, Nadia, and Irma, although she called the latter two sometimes her mom and grandmother.
She is survived by her daughters Ayda Kurkdjian, Nadia Agopyan, Irma Agopyan, her grandchildren Michael Kurkdjian, Mark Kurkdjian, Alexander Agopyan-Miu, Anita-Agopyan-Miu, and her great grandchildren Alaura Kurkdjian, Ivy Kurkdjian, Eric Kurkdjian, and Haru Kurkdjian. She was preceded in death (28 years ago) by her husband Hayk Agopyan.
The family is accepting donations in lieu of flowers for the Milk Fund for babies in Armenia (https://amaa.org/armenian-childrens-milk-fund/). The program provides baby formula to families in situations where either the mother is unable to breast feed (often due to medical issues/death) or for which the baby faces significant medical issues requiring baby formula including specialized hypoallergenic formula. The following will list the way the donation can be made but please remember to label and designate your donation for the Milk Fund:
1. By mail: make checks payable to the “Armenian Missionary Association of America -Milk Fund”. You can include a cover letter indicating the designation to Milk Fund and that this is in the memory of Bercuhi Agopyan and mail to AMAA, 31 West century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652
2. Online: www.amaa.org Click on Give and then click on Donate. Select “Milk Fund (Armenia) from the pull-down menu for Designation
The Wake service was held on October 19, 2019 at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park 5600 Lindero Canyon Rd. Westlake village, CA 91362. Funeral service was held at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Ventura County – The Parish of St Patrick Episcopal Church, 1 church Rd Thousand Oaks, CA at 12:30pm and the Burial service at 2:00pm. Giramootk service followed at Nadia’s home at 3:00 pm with family and friends.
The family will have the seventh day memorial service on Sunday October 27 at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Ventura County – The Parish of St Patrick Episcopal Church, 1 church Rd Thousand Oaks, CA and will provide for the fellowship hour following the service.
The 40th day memorial service will take place by the graveside located at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park 5600 Lindero Canyon Rd. Westlake village (behind the Carpenter’s mausoleum) on Sunday 24 November 2019.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5