With great regret, the Eastern Diocese mourns the sudden loss of Zaven Tachdjian, a longtime and beloved leader of the Armenian Church, who passed away unexpectedly Friday (May 27), after a brief hospital stay.
Zaven was a man at home in every area of church life. His counsel was highly valued in the leadership circles of our Diocese; but he was equally at ease in the informal, brotherly atmosphere of community gatherings.
He was a devoted parishioner of St. Gregory the Enlightener Church in White Plains, NY, and a member of the St. Nersess Seminary Board of Directors. His services to the Diocese were many and varied, including positions on the Diocesan Council and Board of Trustees. He also represented the Eastern Diocese during the Ecclesiastical Representative Assembly at Holy Etchmiadzin.
Whenever there was a project that required broad knowledge, attention to detail, a little diplomacy, and above all an honest and trustworthy spirit, then Zaven was the man for the job. Recently, his professional expertise as an engineer made him an ideal choice to play a leading role in the Diocesan Center Needs Assessment; indeed, for a time Zaven served in a voluntary capacity overseeing the facilities management of the Diocesan Center in New York.
His presence will be sorely missed by the church and community—and most of all, of course, by his family, whom Zaven loved with all his heart.
Now, our thoughts and sympathies are with Zaven’s dear wife Gladys and their family. May our risen Lord remember his gentle servant Zaven Tachdjian in his kingdom, and grant his loved ones consolation and peace.
Funeral Arrangements
Visitation hours for Zaven Tachdjian will take place on Thursday, June 2, from 5 to 8 p.m., at St. Gregory the Enlightener Church (1131 North St., White Plains, NY). The Dahn Gark (wake) service will be at 7 p.m.
The funeral service will be held on Friday, June 3, at 10:30 a.m., also at St. Gregory the Enlightener Church. Diocesan Primate Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan will preside. Burial will be private.
The family requests that in lieu-of-flowers donations be made to St. Gregory the Enlightener Church (1131 North St., White Plains, NY 10605). They will be used to establish an endowment in Zaven’s memory, providing scholarships to Armenian youth to help them strengthen their Armenian identity.
An obituary outlining Zaven’s life and accomplishments can be read by clicking here.