Tatul Sonentz –Papazian was born in Cairo, Egypt in May of 1928 to survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Khoren Sonentz-Papazian and Mary Mouradian, Tatul Sonentz-Papazian spent his formative adolescent years enraptured by stories of the Armenian pursuit of justice and the desire for the restoration of their historic homeland. An immensely talented and earnest student who was proficient in several languages before entering his teenage years, Tatul gravitated toward the arts and graduated from the Academie Libre des Beaux Arts in Cairo, and immediately after graduation embarked on a career in advertising as an illustrator and graphic designer for various newspapers before joining the United States Foreign Service in 1951. Post World War Two was a time of rapid change in the Middle East as foreign rule in Egypt and elsewhere, gave way to self-rule and independence, and Tatul was a first-hand witness to the seismic revolutionary change in Egypt while working out of the American Embassy in Cairo as an art and publications director for the United States Information Agency (U.S.I.A.).
In 1957, he moved to the United States with his new bride Seda Khatanassian and settled in the greater Boston area, eventually becoming an executive director at the University Press of Cambridge, one of America's oldest and prestigious printing and publishing company. From 1972 to 1978, he collaborated with the Harvard University Publications Office to establish his publishing company. Following this venture, he worked as a freelancer in publishing, editing, and printing.
Tatul was a proud member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutyun (A.R.F.), having joined the party as an eighteen-year-old in 1946, and eventually assumed various positions of leadership, including serving on multiple ARF Eastern Region Central Committees, starting in 1960 and extending into the 1990's. From the time of his childhood, Tatul also held a lifelong respect and admiration for the incredible work of the Armenian Relief Society (A.R.S.), and for decades worked with and for the A.R.S. in preparing its publications. In short, Tatul loved his heritage and culture and understood that his mission as a proud Armenian was the preservation of the Armenian Nation and the pursuit of justice for the Armenian people. Toward that end, Tatul worked tirelessly for decades preserving the First Republic of Armenia's archives, located in the vaults of the Hairenik Building in Watertown Massachusetts, and as editor of the preeminent Armenian scholarly journal the Armenian Review.
Tatul translated numerous books, poems, and articles. Most recently he joined forces with Roupen Janbazian in publishing the English translation of Antranig Dzarougian’s “Letter to Yerevan.” He also translated Daniel Varoujan’s “Song of the Bread,” edited by Viken Tufenkjian. In addition to his translation work, he found time to volunteer his skills to the Boston area Hamazkayin chapter in producing various theatrical productions.
His outstanding contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Mesrob Mashtots Medal from the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, The Armenian National Committee of America-Eastern Region Vahan Cardashian Award, and the E. Agnouni Award from the ARS Eastern Region.
Tatul Sonentz-Papazian was predeceased by his beloved wife Seda and his precious granddaughter Sona Mamikonian, and is survived by his two sons, Armen and Vicken, his daughter in law Angela Achikgiozian, his granddaughter Ani Mamikonian-Zarpas and her husband Eleftherios Zarpas, and his great grandchildren Ella Simone Zarpas and Aleksander Simon Papazian. He is also survived by his sister Nivart Paneyan and niece Maroush Paneyan-Nigon and her husband Kenneth Nigon and their two sons Philip Nigon and Garen Nigon.
A celebration of Tatul's life will be announced at a later date by way of the Bedrosian Funeral Home website, the Armenian newspapers and through social media.
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