der-ohannessian

Bedros Der Bedrossian was born in 1884 in Urfa, an ancient Armenian city that dates back to the 4th century. His father, a parish priest, passed away when young Bedros was just three years old. As a result, he was raised by his mother and older brothers. He joined the family business when he grew older and became a successful merchant. He also developed a fondness for education and intellectual debate. However, his world as he knew it came to an abrupt end when the Turks killed almost all of his loved ones during the Armenian Genocide. Forced to leave his ancestral homeland, he migrated to Aleppo, Syria and began a new life from scratch. Eventually, he managed to buy some land and earned a living leasing it out to farmers. In 1972, he and his wife Noyemzar followed their children who had migrated to the United States. Already in his late 80s, he taught himself English just so he could read the newspapers and keep up with world events. He spent the last years of his life writing his memoirs and living contently in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania surrounded by his wife, his five daughters, and their families. He passed away quietly in his sleep in 1980.