Obituary of Richard Zaratzian

Richard Zaratzian (94) passed away on April 29, 2023. He suffered from pneumonia and kidney failure. Richard was born to Hovhannes and Louisa on July 5th 1928. His parents fled the Armenian genocide in Turkey and were married in 1920. During the years of and after the Great Depression, Hovhannes managed a butcher shop; Richard worked there in his early years. In 1944, Richard graduated among the top of his class from Stuyvesant High School. Thereafter, he graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from the City College of New York. He also served four years with the National Guard. In 1968, Richard married Carmen Munoz. It was love at first sight, despite not sharing the same native language. They were married for 54 years and spent most of their lives as residents of Garden City South. Richard served as public school teacher (K-6) and gym teacher for over 50 years. He worked in the following areas: Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem and Long Island. Richard loved his students; he was known to use his modest funds to buy his students ice cream and purchase additional gym equipment for them. He relished spending time with his family, as a loving and dedicated father and husband. He had a passion for reading (particularly health books) and traveling (visiting over 50 countries!). Also, he enjoyed visiting museums, attending plays and concerts, and watching sporting events and classic movies. Richard is survived by his wife Carmen, his daughter Carla, and his son Brian. There will be a funeral service at St. Sarkis Church on May 4th , 2023. The Zaratzian family will hold a lunch in honor of Richard immediately after the cemetery service, and extends an invitation to join them at: Casa di Fratelli 477 Old Country Rd Westbury, NY 11590