Our much beloved and loving Armine Barseghian Thomason died April 24th 2016 surrounded by love and care. She was ninety-six years old.

Armine will be remembered by many family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and caregivers, whose lives were touched by her generosity of time and spirit. Her outstanding character made a lasting impression on everyone she met and profoundly influenced the lives of those close to her. She was strong of mind and spirit: bright, witty, vibrant, beautiful, reflective, thoughtful, a great listener and confidant, funny and always sincere. She was a progressive thinker and tolerant of diverse views and life styles. She was indeed “the whole package” and greatly admired.

Born Armine Barseghian in Constantinople on September 9, 1919, she was the daughter of professor Armen Barseghian and Arousiag Panossian. The family immigrated to the United States in 1925. Armine’s family valued education above all, and she attended Girls Latin School, Radcliffe College where she graduated in 1940, Boston University where she earned a Masters Degree in Psychology and the Harvard School of Education where she earned a Master’s degree in 1964 while raising four children.

In 1940, Armine met Carnig Tomassian who had graduated from Harvard College in 1936 and was a student at Harvard Dental School. They had so much in common: Their Armenian heritage, family values, Harvard education and love of sports. Their friendship became a life-long love and partnership, one that was admired by all who knew them. On November 14, 1942 they were married in Watertown and honeymooned on Cape Cod, which in 1954 would become a permanent summer residence. When Carnig volunteered for the Army Dental Corps, Armine worked in the personnel office at Raytheon and volunteered with the American Red Cross, her way of contributing to the war effort. After the war, Carnig opened a dental practice in Newton and Armine assisted by acting as his secretary and dental assistant. They built a house in Newton where they lived for eighteen years and started a family in 1948. By 1956 they had four children who would become the center of all their love and efforts for the rest of their lives. Armine cared for the children until they all went to school and was busy with volunteer work. She was a Girl Scout Leader, member of the board of directors of the Newton Girl Scout Council, President of the board of directors of the Rebecca Pomeroy House (a shelter for homeless children), a volunteer at the Newton Wellesley Hospital an active member of St John’s Episcopal Church and an active member of the Radcliffe Alumni Association.

When she returned to work, Armine became a counselor at Newton Junior College and also taught a class in Psychology. When NJC closed, she went to Bigelow Jr. High School where she became a counselor. She loved her work and was extremely effective in her support of her students. She also developed and maintained close relationships with colleagues from both institutions. In 1966 the family moved to Weston where Armine lived until Carnig’s death on November 2, 2000. Shortly after, she left Weston to live in the family home on Cape Cod. There she continued her active involvement in civic and intellectual activities joining the Cape Cod branch of the American Association of University Women, the Harvard Club of Cape Cod where she had been a member with Carnig, a book group and volunteering for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services where she was an advocate for youth in foster care.

The most important life activity for both Armine and Carnig was in raising their children and supporting their intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth. They were both role models in this sense. Armine and Carnig valued family and hosted many extended family celebrations including reunions of both the Tomassian and Panossian families. Armine leaves behind children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who adored her: Jean and Vincent McCaughey; Alice Thomason Worth and Peter Van Oot; Robert and Phyllis Thomason; Dr. Philip and Susan Thomason; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Armine will be reunited with the spirits of her parents and loving husband at the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge Massachusetts in a private family service. Donations in Armine's name may be made to Elder Services of Cape Cod 68 Rt. 134 So. Dennis, MA 02660

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