Samuel Vahram Goekjian

He was born on August 22, 1927, in Syra, Greece to Vahram K. Goekjian and Aznive Goekjian (née Bagdassarian). Part of the Armenian diaspora, he attended school in Ethiopia and Cyprus, then returned to Ethiopia to work for the Ministry of Education under Emperor Haile Selassie. This created the opportunity to move to the United States to attend Syracuse University, where he was active in sports and student government. Mr. Goekjian graduated Syracuse in 1952 magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in History, after which he earned his law degree at Harvard Law School in 1957. In pursuit of his U.S. citizenship, he paused his law studies for two years to serve in the US Army during the height of the Korean conflict.

In 1955, he met, and in 1957, he married, his wife of 50 years, Alison (née MacLeod). After a few years practicing finance law for private and public institutions, Mr. Goekjian joined the law firm of Surrey & Morse. Within a few years, with four young children in tow, the family moved to Beirut, then Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, finally settling in Maisons-Laffitte, France, while he established offices for the firm in Beirut, Paris, Riyadh, and London. The family moved back to Washington DC in 1978, where he led the firm’s international arbitration practice.

In 1983, he became Chairman and CEO of Consolidated Westway Group, the U.S. holding company of an international trading and manufacturing group. Following another eighteen years practicing law, including fifteen years as managing partner of Kile, Goekjian, Reed & McManus, he spent the remainder of his career pursuing various venture capital projects.

For many years, he was a consultant for the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development on cross-border development and construction, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East. He was also a lecturer at the George Washington University Law School (International Transactions, 1963-1968), Georgetown University Law School (International Arbitration, 1979-1982), and the Maxwell School of Syracuse University (International Economic Development, 1996-2010).

He was a generous and active supporter of his alma mater, Syracuse University, where he served on the Board of Trustees for twenty-two years, is a lifetime Trustee, and served on the Maxwell School’s Advisory Board for more than fifteen years. In 1995, he established the Samuel V. Goekjian Endowment for the Global Affairs Institute, affording numerous students the opportunity to pursue international research projects, and endowed several other important initiatives at the University. He is the recipient of the Letter Winners of Distinction award from the Varsity Club of Syracuse University (1996), the Horizon Award for leadership and philanthropic commitment (2005), and the George Arents Award for Excellence in International Business and Law (2009).

After his wife Alison passed away in 2007, just after the family celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary and his 80th Birthday, Mr. Goekjian relocated to an apartment in the Residences at Thomas Circle, where he lived comfortably and enjoyed the community for the past fifteen years.

Ever the sport and competition enthusiast, he was a fierce poker player, an avid bridge player, and a hyper-competitive tavla (backgammon) player – a tradition passed down for generations – and enjoyed playing and teaching these throughout his life. He was a dedicated fan of his various sporting teams, from DC football to Cleveland baseball, to any Syracuse team, and any team in any sport that his family and friends supported. He attended Olympic games, Super Bowls, college bowl games, and any live sporting event he had a chance to see. As a lifelong avid traveler, however, he most enjoyed his time traveling around the world to spend time with his children, grandchildren, extended family, and many friends.

Mr. Goekjian was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his twin brother, Krikor. He is survived by his four children, Kenneth S. Goekjian (Rita) of Candia New Hampshire, Christopher A. Goekjian of London, England, Peter G. Goekjian (Miriam) of Lyon, France, and Lisa G. Henneberry (Rich) of Washington, D.C.

A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at the Palisades Community Church in Washington DC at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 7. A private interment will follow.