Joseph Charchaflieh,100, of Watertown Massachusetts, passed peacefully to the Lord in his home, on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, after receiving the Sacraments of the Church. He died of natural causes after a life dedicated to family life and faithfulness to his church.
Joseph was a loving husband to his surviving wife for 63 years, Virginie Zekert Charchaflieh. He was a virtuous and dedicated father to his five children, Deacon Michael, Clara and her husband Aboud Nasri, Rita and her husband Hagop Bejakian, Pierre and his wife Lisa, and Paul with his wife Anya. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren, Hovig, Carla, Vincent, Kenar, Mark, Chantelle, Katia, Joey, Sam, Jack, Luke, and Marc and other relatives and cousins around the world.
Born in Aleppo, Syria on the feast of St. Joseph (March 19, 1920) to Michaël & Bahiya Charchaflieh, he was the fifth of seven siblings. He received his high school diploma from Fr`eres Maristes in 1938 and was a loyal scout for many years. After working in the French Rail Road company, Joseph would go on to establish himself in Damascus.
In 1957, Joseph married Virginie and started a family together in the Armenian Catholic tradition. After working for the Singer Corporation as an accountant for thirteen years, Joseph’s hunger for adventure and entrepreneurship took him into many successful business endeavors in Lebanon and Argentina, and finally returning to Damascus, Syria. In 1997, after retiring, Joseph emigrated to the Boston area where his children had already settled after attending college and after establishing families of their own.
Joseph was a devout Armenian Catholic. He consistently and faithfully attended Sunday Mass without exceptions--through sickness, health, rain, shine, and even snowstorms. Joseph’s adventurous spirit was highly active even in his elderly years, His love for travel took him across the United States, Europe, Alaska, Australia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He loved to be out and about, seeing new things and meeting new people. Through his final years, he would often be gone by dawn whether to stay active at the local YMCA, practice the Armenian language at the Arevik Center, or continue his dedication to the Armenian church every Sunday.
Joseph was of little words, kind, firm, curious, traditional, and most importantly a family man. He led a long, prosperous, and happy life and passed peacefully surrounded by his wife and children. Joseph will be remembered, cherished by family, friends, and community as a man of faith.
Calling hours, Saturday, October 3rd, 2020 will be open to all and will take place from 10 to 11 am at the Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church (200 Lexington St, Belmont, MA 02478. Mass of Christian burial will begin at 11 am. Burial to follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Watertown, MA. Due to the ongoing COVID – 19 pandemic, current public health measure will be observed.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church.