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Simon Ohanessian '51

Nov. 5, 1929-Jun. 19, 2006

Simon Ohanessian ’51, a physician who practiced in the Cleveland, OH, area for 30 years, was born into an Armenian Christian Orthodox family on November 5, 1929, in Baghdad, Iraq. A son of Ohannes, an accountant, and Maritza Konyoumdjian Ohanessian, he entered Hamilton in 1948 from Kirkuk, Iraq, as a “foreign student.” Granted sophomore status on the basis of work he had done at Baghdad College, “Si” Ohanessian joined Delta Kappa Epsilon and engaged in a variety of extracurricular activities while pursuing premedical studies. Besides participating in swimming, soccer, and track, he became an outstanding debater and president of the Debate Club. He won the McKinney Prize Debate and the coveted Clark Prize Oration, and was graduated in 1951 with honors in biology and public speaking.

Si Ohanessian went on to Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he earned his M.D. degree in 1955. On June 4 of that year, before embarking on his internship at Philadelphia General Hospital, he was married in New York City to Cartha Jean Roy, a nurse. Called in 1957 to active duty with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, Dr. Ohanessian served as chief of the medical department of the Naval Recruiting Station in Albany, NY. Released from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant commander in 1959, he completed his residency in internal medicine at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse.

In 1962, Dr. Ohanessian settled in Chester Township, east of Cleveland. While maintaining a private practice specializing in cardiology in Chardon, he served on the medical staffs of several area hospitals, especially Geauga Community Hospital, where he was founder and director of the coronary care unit as well as the non-invasive cardiac laboratory. He retired in 1992.

Dr. Ohanessian, a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Cardiology, served as president of the Geauga County Cancer Society. He was also a charter member and past president of the Chardon Rotary Club and a member of St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church in Richmond Heights. He was residing in Chardon at the time of his death.

Long afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, Simon Ohanessian, a faithful alumnus, died on June 19, 2006, at a health care center in Middlefield, OH. Predeceased three months earlier by his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Karen O’Sickey and Kimberly Schulz; a son, Michael Ohanessian; and five grandchildren and a brother.

Necrology Home

Note: Memorial biographies published prior to 2004 will not appear on this list.



Necrology Writer and Contact:
Christopher Wilkinson '68
Email: Chris.Wilkinson@mail.wvu.edu

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