Jirayr (“Jerry”) Phillipos Balikian, MD, FACR, previous Vice Chair of the UMass Memorial Health Radiology Department, former Director of Thoracic Radiology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, as well as past Professor at Harvard Medical School and the American University of Beirut Medical School, died peacefully on September 13, 2024 at 97.
Born in Arapkir, Turkey, he was the second child of the late Phillipos Balikian and Askanoush Keshishian Balikian, survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. His older sister, Surpuhi, and younger brothers, Yenovk and Norayr, grew up first in Kerkkhan, Turkey and then Beirut, Lebanon in a humble home filled with love, support, encouragement, and dedication to schooling. Given his talent to excel in academics, he graduated first in his high school class earning him a scholarship to attend the American University of Beirut (AUB). At AUB, he again excelled in his studies and was encouraged to pursue a career in medicine. Not having the financial means to afford medical school, he again relied on the generosity of financial support and worked odd jobs, including as a night caretaker at a morgue, to earn money for school.
After medical school, he traveled from Lebanon to the United States by train and a Transatlantic ship to pursue his residency in radiology at the McGraw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Upon completing his program, he returned to Beirut and became a highly respected physician and professor at the AUB Medical School. He was a co-founder of the Armenian Medical Association in Beirut, Lebanon.
An expert and highly respected radiologist, especially in tuberculosis, in 1976, after the civil war in Lebanon became increasingly unsafe, he was recruited by Harvard Medical School to join its faculty as head of the Thoracic Radiology Department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He then moved to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, where he was again the Director of Thoracic Radiology. He was finally recruited to the UMass Memorial where he eventually became Vice Chair of the Department of Radiology.
In 1980, 1992, 1998, and 2007, he was recognized for his outstanding contribution to the radiology residence education program. He published over 50 academic research papers and gave hundreds of lectures in the field of radiology. In May 2017, he was honored by the Department of Radiology at UMass Chan Medical School by the creation of the annual Balikian Go The Extra Mile Award that recognizes one resident that goes the extra mile in their job, which exemplified his approach and dedication to the practice of medicine.
He was a doctor to doctors and loved by his residents who have become leaders in the field of radiology. He retired after 60 years of service to the science of medicine, saved countless lives, and dedicated himself without self-promotion to the care of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and patients throughout the world. He was an avid gardener, loved classical music and traveling, treated everyone equally, altruistically helped his family and friends, and was a kind, generous, and gentle soul.
Beyond his humble accomplishments, he was above all dedicated to his family. He was the loving husband to Annie Yeghyayan Balikian, the love of his life with whom he was married for 58 years. He was the father to Philip J. Balikian, MD and his wife Nora Janoyan Balikian, Ara J. Balikian, Esq. and his wife Taline Farra Balikian, OD, and Richard V. Balikian, MD and his wife Priscilla Wood Balikian, as well as the adoring grandfather to Alexander, Isabella, Vatche, Raffi, Aria, and Leo. He was also a devoted and generous brother and uncle to both his sister’s, brother’s, and wife’s extended families, including Mr. Yevovk Balikian and family, Mr. and Mrs. Norayr Balikian and family, Dr. and Mrs. Harout and Nora Ajdaharian and family, Ms. Sonig Balikian, Dr. and Mrs. Mishac and Karen Yegian and family, Mr. and Dr. Koko and Marilyn Bizdikian and Mr. Justin Hopkins, and the Janoyan, Farra and Wood families.
Funeral services will be held at the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 11:00am. Visitation prior to the funeral service from at 10:00am. Interment to follow at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Armenian General Benevolent Union, 55 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022 agbu.org/memory-jirayr-balikian, Armenia Tree Project, 400 West Cummings Park, Suite 3725, Woburn MA 01801 armeniatreeproject.app.neoncrm.com, or Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 htaac.org.
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