Mary L. Hagopian

Mary L. (Pomoransky) Hagopian, 92, passed away on April 9, 2023 in the arms of her family at her home while the church bells rang on her favorite Holy Day, Easter Sunday. She was the beloved wife of the late Honorable Magistrate Judge Jacob Hagopian, mother to 5 children, and grandmother to 5 grandchildren.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, she was the daughter of the late Bohdan Pomoransky and Madonna N. (Giuliano) Pomaransky. She was the sister of Anne B. “Peggy” Davis, and the late Alice E. Malo.

Mary L. Hagopian at a young age was a thoughtful scholar and graduated from the Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing, in 1951, with honors and distinctions. She was known amongst her peers as a mentor and tutor to many. She excelled in her studies and career, and she went on to become a Pediatric Staff Nurse, Night Head Nurse of the Pediatric Ward, and Assistant Head Nurse of the Emergency Unit at Rhode Island Hospital. She eventually moved on to positions such as an Obstetrical Nurse, Night Head Nurse of the Maternity Ward, Night Staff Nurse of Delivery and OR, and finally, Head Nurse of Delivery and OR at Providence Lying In Hospital.

On a summer's day in 1952, she met her future husband who was home on leave from the Army. She went on to marry the First Lt. under the traditional arch of crossed sabers in the Post Chapel in Fort Myer, Virginia on August 14th, 1953.

As a military wife, she continued her calling as a nurse, wherever her husband’s military service landed her, from Tokyo Japan, where she was a Private Duty Nurse, at the US Army Hospital to the Washington DC Metropolitan area, to include Maryland, where she was a public health nurse, at a time when her beloved country was facing some of its greatest social changes and challenges she was called to unsafe areas to administer care to the sick and less fortunate.

When she started a family with her husband, she made the decision to leave nursing, to devote her time as wife and mother, a great one at that. While her husband was on a military mission, she was on mission to keep her family together and was prepared to move wherever they were assigned, including many unfamiliar places. Wherever she landed, she still made time to pursue all disciples of study. While in Tokyo Japan, Mary studied at Sophia University (International Division) in subjects of Far Eastern International Religion, and American History Survey, and learned the Japanese language and taught it to her husband Jacob.

From 1960-63, her husband was assigned to Berlin Germany while the Berlin crisis was unfolding, and she accompanied him there with their four children and was pregnant at the time. The Wall was going up in the background.

On October 21,1961, she went into labor. That same evening, while in labor, Soviet tanks drove up to Check Point Charlie. The Soviet tanks sat muzzle to muzzle with American tanks, and she feared that this was the beginning of World War III.

While in the Berlin Army Hospital, preparations were being made for possible evacuation. She feared that she would have had to be evacuated, while in labor as well. To face this threat, and be so far away from home, and separated from her husband and children, could only make her strong, and she faced it with the most amazing grace.

As a true caregiver and fighter, her and her family made it through the uncertain times. Afterwards, her husband was reassigned, and they settled their family stateside, back in Washington, DC where they would begin to raise their children at home base.

Once again, after her husband retired from the military, having packed her and her children's bags, they loaded up the station wagon, five kids, one dog, and two cats, and headed up the New Jersey Turnpike, to their new home in Rhode Island.

She fell back in love with the seaside town that she summered at in her youth, and, eventually, settled in Narragansett with her husband and children.

Mary had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, with her children grown she enrolled herself in classes at URI where she received high honors, and in her spare time, she always had her nose in a book; across a wide range of topics such as foreign policy, Russian history, Art history, Classic literature, American Government, and the list goes on.

In the end, what truly mattered to Mary, was the love she had for her husband Jacob, who she lovingly dubbed the nickname, “The Boss”, and in return, he affectionately dubbed her the nickname, “My Girlfriend”.

Her greatest joys were her children, grandchildren, and extended family.She also had countless friends, friendships that she nurtured and maintained over time.

Mary will be laid to rest, at Arlington National Cemetery, with her beloved husband Jacob, and her beloved, and longtime missed, infant son, Anthony.

Mary L. Hagopian is survived by her loving children, Mark J. Hagopian and wife Soon-Hie, daughter Mary Lou Hagopian-Lamb and husband Kenneth, son Dana A. Hagopian, son Jan C. Hagopian and wife Glenna, and son Jon G. Hagopian and wife Christine.

She is also survived by five cherished grandchildren, Jacob C. Hagopian, Sydney K. Hagopian, Jacqueline R. Hagopian, Julia E. Hagopian, and Livia A. Hagopian.

Her memory lives on with her nephew and nieces; Jeffrey, Donna, Jeanette, Cheryne, and Jode, their children, her great nephews and nieces; Conor, Reec, Alexa, Genna, Jasmin, Lily Rose, Abby, Sam, Noah, Ben, Nick, and her devoted and beloved caregivers.

Mary's Mass of Christian Burial was held Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 11:00 am in St. Thomas More Church in Narragansett, RI.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to the Maury Loontjens Memorial Library, Narragansett R.I. or Friends of the Narragansett Library Fund, 35 Kingston Road, Narragansett, R.I.