Hampartsum Ghazarossian
| Hampartsum Ghazarossian | |
|---|---|
' | |
| Birth name | Hampartsum Ghazarossian |
| Birthplace | Khartoum |
| Lived in | Khartoum, Addis Ababa, New York, Birmingham, Paris, Casablanca |
| Resides in | New York City |
| Death place | New York City |
| Death date | 2026-01-10 |
| Death year | 2026 |
| Resting place | Nassau Knolls Cemetery |
| Education | Haile Sellassie I University |
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic |
| Languages | Armenian, English, French, Amharic |
| Ethnicities | Armenian |
| Dialects | Western Armenian |
| Spouses | Marie Ghazarossian |
| Children | Edina Bobelian |
Hampo was the eldest son of the late Yetvart and Vartouhi (Mesrobian) Ghazarossian. He was born in Khartoum, Sudan, and grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His parents instilled in him and his two brothers, Antreas and Vartan, the paramount importance of education, a value that guided him throughout his life. Hampo attended the Kevorkoff Armenian School in Addis Ababa through eighth grade, and later Comboni College in Khartoum for high school.
A man of exceptional intellect and dedication, Hampo distinguished himself academically, earning the highest grades and honours throughout his studies. Upon graduating as valedictorian from Haile Sellassie I University, he was awarded a gold medal by Emperor Haile Sellassie I - an honor that reflected both his brilliance and promise. He continued his professional and academic journey in Birmingham, England, where he worked at Price Waterhouse (PW) while completing the rigorous examinations to become a Chartered Accountant, ultimately attaining the distinction of Fellow Chartered Accountant. In the early 1980s, he also earned his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification in New York. Before retiring, Hampo was licensed to practice on three continents - a rare and remarkable achievement.
In 1971, Hampo married Marie Yerevanian in Addis Ababa, and together they were blessed with one daughter, Edina.
Hampo’s professional career at Price Waterhouse spanned nearly 40 years and was marked by an unwavering commitment to excellence and integrity. While still in Ethiopia, he was admitted as a Partner at the age of 33 - the youngest in PW’s history at that time. Over the years, he worked in numerous PW offices, forging lasting professional relationships and deep personal friendships. As a Senior Partner, he was responsible for PW operations throughout French-speaking Africa, as well as Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Tehran office in Iran.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Hampo was engaged in the Armenian community of Addis Ababa and in international civic life. He served at the altar of our Surp Kevork Armenian Church as an ordained sub-deacon. Many in our community will fondly remember him playing the accordion at tashdahantes events held on the grounds of the Pogharian family. He was also an active member of the Toastmasters Club and the Lions Club, both in Addis Ababa and later in Casablanca, Morocco.
Following the change in government in Ethiopia in 1974, most members of the Ethio-Armenian community dispersed across the world. Thanks to Hampo’s remarkable knowledge of Ethio-Armenian families and his lifelong commitment to staying connected across time and distance, he played an instrumental role in bringing the community back together. He fully supported Marie’s vision of reunifying our dispersed community and personally budgeted for and managed all financial aspects of the three YetovbaHayer reunions: Los Angeles in 2001, Armenia in 2007, and Los Angeles again in 2012. Wherever he traveled with Marie, he made every effort to organize informal mini-reunions of Ethio-Armenians - in Montreal, Boston, London, Paris, and beyond.
In 2005, two years after retiring from PwC in Paris, Hampo and Marie returned to New York and settled in Manhattan to be close to their daughter Edina, who had established her life there. With the birth of their two grandchildren, Hampo embraced the role of grandfather with immense joy and devotion. He was extremely proud of them.
During his retirement years, Hampo dedicated himself to giving back to the communities that had shaped his life. He created and maintained websites for the Ethio-Armenian community, sharing interesting articles on Ethiopia and Armenia. He also established a website for retired European PW partners, enabling them to remain connected and informed about developments in the accounting world. In addition, for the past 20 years, he served as Treasurer and President of the Board of his condominium building in New York.
He graduated to heaven after a brief yet courageous battle with cancer, specifically acute myeloid leukemia.
Hampo was a man of integrity, honor, and deep respect for others. He was fair, humble, an extraordinary mentor, and someone who upheld the highest ethical standards in all aspects of life.
Above all, Hampo was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, cousin, uncle - and a guiding “older brother” to extended family members and friends. Family meant everything to him.
He retained his sense of humor and good spirits until the very end and was profoundly grateful for the love and support of his family, friends, and community.