Sonia Jessie Vartanian, 95, of Framingham, formally of Newton passed peacefully at home on September 14, 2024. Beloved wife of the late Haig Vartanian. Devoted mother to Nancy C. Tobin and her husband Gary of Hudson, MA, and Joyce A. Nuzzi and her husband David of Waltham; loving grandmother of Melissa Tobin, Michael Nuzzi, and the late Scott Tobin. Sonia was born in Quincy, MA; the daughter of the late Norman and Nuvart (Kayukjian) Peskin, and sister to the late Norman C. Peskin. During childhood, she enjoyed spending time along Wollaston Beach with her family. They moved to Newton, where Sonia lived the majority of her life. She was a graduate of Newton North High School, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Education at Massachusetts College of Art. After graduating, Sonia married the love of her life, Haig Vartanian (deceased), who was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Sonia and Haig were married at St. James Armenian Church in Watertown, MA, and moved to North Carolina where Haig was finishing his Master’s Degree in Chemistry at Duke University. After his graduation, they settled permanently in Newton. Sonia was a devoted wife for 62 yrs., and a loving, nurturing mother to their two daughters. Sonia took great pleasure in spending time with family, and becoming a grandmother brought her incredible joy. Sonia was an active member of the community where she founded a summer program for elementary school children to expose them to art of all types. She was an active member of St. James Armenian Church in Watertown. She enjoyed planning events and was on the Newton High Reunion committee. She worked for a non-profit MUSE, Music Serving the Elderly, and coordinated concerts at elderly residences. Later Sonia pursued her passion of art; she took classes in Boston, and painted with a group of North Shore artists. She sketched, illustrated, sculpted, but mostly painted. Her love of the ocean led her to paint weekly in Gloucester and Rockport. Sonia was an avid reader and enjoyed being surrounded by her book collection. She always felt better in a room surrounded by filled bookshelves. She was an excellent cook, and knew many Armenian recipes from her mother; she also gained inspiration for recipes from watching Julia Child. She loved all the Arts, a member of the Museum of Fine Arts, and regular attendee at the Boston Symphony, and Boston Pops. She enjoyed going to museums, restaurants, historical sights, and the beach with her husband and children. She had an amazing ability through her warmth and kindness to touch people she met. Often there was the unexpected knock on the door of a friend dropping by to say hello, her answer was always, “come on in”. All who knew Sonia cherished her, she had a great sense of humor, loved art, music, and her cats, but her greatest love was for her family.
Visiting hours and Funeral service will be at the Aram Bedrosian Funeral Home, 558 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, on Thursday, September 19 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Prayer services will be at 5:00 p.m.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.
Burial and Graveside prayers will be on Friday, September 20 at Newton Cemetery, 791 Walnut Street, Newton at 11:00 a.m. People who are planning to attend the cemetery services, please go directly to Newton Cemetery and assemble inside the front gate. The Cemetery staff will escort the cars to the gravesite.
In Remembrance of Sonia’s life, charitable donations may be made to New England Foundation of Arts (NEFA) at www.nefa.org , 321 Harrison Avenue, Suite 420, Boston, MA 02118 or Saint James Armenian Church, 465 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472.