Sahag Kevork Bukruian (91), of 31 Oakley Road, Watertown MA 02472, was heralded to heaven on May 10th, 2024, at 11:00 PM, during a glorious blaze of northern lights.
Sahag was born on April 11, 1933, in Beirut Lebanon. His parents were Kevork Bukruian and Gourgi Yepremian-Bukruian.
He had 10 siblings, of which only he and his sister Hripsime survived to adulthood. He was blessed to have many friends including some lifelong companions including Aram Narinian and Nerkiz and Vartan Nerkizian.
He attended the Armenian High School in Beirut Lebanon. In 1957 Sahag emigrated to Paris, France where he studied art and played his accordion on the banks of the Seine River. He lived there with his good friend and fellow artist Harout Torossian. While in Paris he met and married Mary Chopoorian. Together they moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where Sahag spent much of his life. In 2009, he married Amal Sophia Noman, who was his significant other for many years.
Sahag was a true entrepreneur. He was a Real Estate Developer and built a substantial Real Estate empire in the 1970s. He also established several successful businesses including Summit Springs and International Commodities Incorporated.
His true passion was art and music. He played both piano and accordion and was a talented singer and songwriter. Under the stage name Ike Gorian, he released several records in the ’50s with titles including “Your Sad Eyes” and “Under The Apple Tree”.
He loved to travel, had an adventurous spirit, and visited much of the world. He would often recount the story of how he once climbed the pyramids of Egypt with an archaeological expedition. As a young boy, he had and trained his own homing pigeons. Most of all he enjoyed his family and loved to enchant and surprise them whenever possible.
Sahag is survived by his wife Amal, his daughter Christine, his granddaughter Tanya and her husband Abe, and his great-granddaughters Eloise and Estelle. He is also survived by his nieces Never and Vartoog, his nephews Krikor and Kevork, and his cousins Yevkine, Maro, Hagop, Yevant and Garo. He is predeceased by his first wife Mary and his sister Hripsime.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the:
The Armenian Ecclesiastical Brotherhood
206 W. Cypress St.
Glendale, CA 91204
This organization was founded in 1880 by Sahag’s Father and several other individuals including one woman, just before the Armenian Genocide to bring the word of God to Armenians who spoke only Turkish. Today the mission continues but also includes helping to get food and medical aid to all those who are in war-torn countries.
This organization held a special place in Sahag’s heart. Sahag’s parents were genocide survivors who found refuge in Lebanon. In addition to founding the brotherhood, Sahag’s father was instrumental in the building of Armenian Churches in Lebanon. We recently learned that the church pews he handcrafted survived the recent bombing of the church.
“When I must leave you for a little while, please do not grieve and shed wild tears, and hug your sorrow through the years. But start out bravely with a gallant smile; and for my sake and in my name, live on and do all things the same. Feed not your loneliness on empty days, but fill each waking hour in useful ways. Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer and I in turn will comfort you and hold you near. And never, never be afraid to die. For I am waiting for you in the sky!”
A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA. Visitation will be held in the church one hour prior from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Burial will follow the Funeral Service in Groton Cemetery, 242 Hollis St., Groton, MA.
Family and friends are invited to gather for a reception at the Groton Inn, 128 Main St., Groton, MA, immediately following the burial at the cemetery. For those who wish to attend the reception, please RSVP with Christine Bukruian before 4:00PM Wednesday, May 15: (904)-501-5653
For those who wish to attend services remotely, please visit the link below five minutes prior to the scheduled service time:
Livestream Link:https://iframe.dacast.com/b/156599/c/541147
Arrangements are under the care of Badger Funeral Home, 45 School Street, Groton, MA 01450 978-486-3709 www.badgerfuneral.com
