Obituary for Rose Zartarian

Rose (Vartouhi) Zartarian,( nee Avedissian), of Cherry Hill, NJ and Sarasota, FL passed away from a sudden illness, in Tampa, on February 6, 2018. She was the beloved wife of Armen for 63 years, devoted mother to Karen (Sevag) Panossian, Seeran (Greg, deceased) Mizii, and Karl (Nancy) Zartarian.   She was the adoring grandmother to 4 grandchildren, Gregory (Mizii) and Lance, Laura, and Kelly (Zartarian.) She is survived by her brother, Pierre (Marian) Avedissian. She is also survived by many  nieces and nephews, who she loved.

Rose was 85 and born in Beaumont, Marseille to Sarkis and Nevart Avedissian (both Genocide survivors). Her mother died when she was 12, during WWII, and she and her brother, Pierre, were raised by their loving grandmother (Eva), who instilled in her, her love of everything Armenian, life’s lessons and love itself.

During the war, she helped her shoemaker father, sell shoes, and was taken out of high school in order to obtain her French seamstress certificate. She came to Philadelphia in 1953 and stayed with her great-aunt and uncle, while sewing piecework in the N. Philadelphia factories. She brought her brother and father to the USA. She had been singing since age 8 and met Armen 64 years ago, as they both were singing in St. Gregory’s choir, and continued to do so until present. When in Sarasota, FL, they continued to sing in the St. Hagop’s (Pinellas Park, FL) church choir. Music was a huge part of her life. Rose’s effervescent nature was apparent in her God given gift of singing, any song, with true meaning whether it was Armenian, French, or English.

She was able to obtain her GED high school diploma, before any of her children graduated from their H.S., and then went on to obtain her realtor and broker’s license, which was her profession, until retirement.

She had amazing talents; she was energetic, loved to dance, sing, paint, sew, an amazing cook, and mastered just about anything she put her mind to.

She loved to laugh, loved the ocean, smelling the salt air, whether in Sea Isle City or Sarasota, learning new things, traveling, meeting new people, anywhere she went, and making a connection with them.

She had always wanted to work with Armenian orphans and volunteered at Mother Arousiag’s orphanage in Armenia, teaching the children to draw. While in Armenia, she sang with an Armenian band, and felt fulfilled that she had sung in Armenia. She and Armen also sang with the Armenian genocide centennial choir in Washington DC at the National Cathedral and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Rose was always helping or reaching out to someone in need, calling to check up on people or offer support. We hear this over and over again from whomever we talk to that knew her. She continually instilled love of family and ardently maintained her connections with her family in France, and throughout the US.

Most of all, Rose was foremost a devoted wife, and mother. She was selfless in her love of family; her love for them was unconditional. We were the lucky ones to have been blessed that God chose her to be our wife and mother.

Your loving spirit will always be in our hearts, our souls and life’s lessons, and in our lives.