“Dr. Hasmik Simonian was a passionate and knowledgeable Armenian physician who was dedicated to her profession as an emergency room physician. With her expertise in pediatrics, she became a mentor to me in my early years at Englewood Hospital as a young pediatric attending. We had many challenging, pediatric cases which we treated together. Dr. Simonian was an active AAHPO member and she usually never missed our Christmas brunch. Her passing is a great loss to her family and to all Armenians. She will be greatly missed,” said AAHPO Vice President Garbis Baydar, MD.
Hasmik was born in Mashad Iran in 1934. Her father was Abkar Bachdasarian (later changed to Gasparian) and her mother was Vartohe. Unfortunately within one year of giving birth to Hasmik, Vartohe died from Tuberculosis. Abkar eventually remarried to Aroosiak and that was who raised Hasmik.
Hasmik was an outstanding student through high school and decided to become a physician. She was accepted to medical school in Mashad Iran, and she became one of only two women in her class to graduate and get her medical degree. She came to the United States in 1960 as an exchange visitor and did her internship at Bayonne Hospital during which time she met her future husband, Thomas Simonian. She did her Pediatric residency in Miami Florida followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Oncology at Sloan Kettering. During this time, she started to moonlight in the Bayonne Hospital ER where she found her passion and decided to pursue a career in Emergency Medicine – a specialty that did not even exist at the time as she was a pioneer in this field.
It was not until 1976 that the first board exam for Emergency Medicine was offered and Hasmik passed with flying colors.
She was extremely proud that both her sons followed in her footsteps to become outstanding physicians. Armen is a Gastroenterologist and Gregory is a Vascular Surgeon.
Hasmik and the family spent their summers in Ocean City, NJ. During summer vacations, she would often call Shore Memorial Hospital to let them know she was in town and available to do shifts in the ER. She eventually settled down in Ocean City and formed a tight community of friends that she would enjoy spending time with. She was an active member of various Armenian Societies and was recently honored by the Armenian Relief Society.
She will always be remembered for her style, flair for the dramatic, her passion for life, and of course her amazing wardrobe and complementary jewelry!
Hasmik Simonian was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Simonian. She is survived by her two sons Armen and Gregory, their spouses Sally and Carla, and her four grandchildren whom she absolutely adored: Alexandra, Garrett, Sophia and Olivia.
Donations can be made in honor of Hasmik Simonian to the ARS Bergen County Armenouhi Chapter, C/o Carol Kennelly, 416 Glendale Rd, Wyckoff, NJ, 07481 And/Or the Hovnanian School, 817 River Road, New Milford, NJ, 07646.
Visitation at the Funeral home will be on August 23, 2024 from 4-8 pm at Frank Patti and Kenneth Mikatarian Funeral Home on 327 Main Street in Fort Lee NJ.
Funeral Services will be on August 24, 2024 from 10:30 – 11:30 am at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church at 461 Bergen Boulevard in Ridgefield NJ.
Burial services will be on August 24, 2024 from 11:45 – 12 noon at Grove Chuch Cemetery, 1132 46th Street, North Bergen, NJ.
A gathering for family and friends will take after the Cemetery Services at Biagio’s Ristorante at 299 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ.
