Berjouhy (Damerjian) Bosnian

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Berjouhy Bosnian (nee Damerjian), 85, of Audubon PA, formerly of Philadelphia, passed on May 24, 2022.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, John R. Bosnian.

She is survived by her children  Cynthia B. Bosnian and Stephen J. Bosnian, a sister Linda Vishab, her sister-in-law, her brothers-in-law, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was also preceded in death by her sisters Deskouhy Attarian, Hermine Karakashian, and Serarpy Eskandarian and her brother Robert Damerjian.

Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral Mass on Wednesday June 1, 2022 at 11am at Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, 101 Ashmead Rd., Cheltenham, PA 19012.  Visitation in church from 10am to 11am.  Interment Whitemarsh Memorial Park.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Holy Trinity at the above address.

Today we celebrate a woman who truly loved life.

Growing up as one of six children in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with her loving parents, Berj learned the values of hard work, frugality, humility, creativity, integrity, selflessness, patience, and much more—all of which she would carry throughout her life.  

Always close to her parents and siblings (even when they all fought for space in that one bathroom!), she cherished each and every one of them.

A longtime member of Holy Trinity, Berj also cherished the Damerjian family friends and other parishioners she met over the years, and treated them just like her own family.  After meeting John aka “Buzz” Bosnian at an Armenian dance in Asbury Park, she married the love of her life at the church on June 13, 1964.

After settling in Audubon, Berj was quick to make friends through her involvement in the local women’s club.  She and Buzz also become active in a Gourmet Group—for which they prepared and enjoyed amazing themed meals, daytrips and other outings, lots of laughs and most importantly, friendships that lasted more than 50 years.

Taking care of her father-in-law and later Buzz when he became ill, her optimism helped her persevere through the toughest times.  In fact, the home health aides thought she was a retired nurse!  

Caring.  Creative.  Lively.  Loving.  Grateful.  Generous:  these are just a few of the words that describe Berj. 

She treated everyone with respect—no matter who they were.  She gave back whenever she could, whether it was giving a ride, dropping off a homecooked meal, sending a card, or just picking up the phone to let someone know she cared.

Never one to sit on the sidelines, she dove headfirst into everything she did.  An admitted perfectionist, she gave it her all.  Long before YouTube was a thing, Berj was hacking through it in her head—and it usually worked. 

From  gardening to macramé to needlepoint to sewing practically anything (including custom drapes and shades) to painting meticulous stripes on her dining room walls that mimicked wallpaper to flawless wainscotting (including all of the woodworking—sawing, finishing, painting and installing), and of course, making Armenian classics like tabbouleh and choreg, Berj was a truly creative master.  

She absolutely loved working on her home projects; they gave her such satisfaction.  Berj couldn’t sit still; there was always something to be built—or built upon.  And no, she wouldn’t trust just any contractor to do it as well as she could!  Super organized, she’d have everything planned in advance—down to the smallest detail—no matter the project or occasion.  She used to joke that she didn’t go to college but had more common sense than people with master’s degrees.

In addition to all that, she raised two children, Cynthia and Stephen, and worked outside the home in various positions, where she utilized a range of other skills.

Berj didn’t have time for TV (ok, maybe some really old episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond—most of which she had seen before).  But she did have plenty of time for her family and friends.

She thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Buzz and his cousins, spending time with her sisters and brother at their shore homes, and taking numerous bus trips around the U.S. and Canada with family as well as friends from their Gourmet Group.  She was fortunate enough to cross the “big pond” to the UK and later, live “la dolce vita” as she roamed around Rome and the Italian countryside.  She documented all of her travels too—from the food to the sites, so she could savor it all later.

The life of the party, she loved to entertain and have fun—whether kicking up her heels on the dance floor, dressing up as the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, or a pilgrim for family holidays; or singing her version of opera at the top of her lungs to anyone who’d listen, the vivacious Berj loved to make people feel good and smile.  She enjoyed every minute of her big Damerjian family gatherings.  Her happiest moments were often spent in the kitchen preparing all those mouthwatering meals with her sisters.

Even in her darkest hour, Berj was a pillar of strength and a beacon of light, doling out lots of “thank you’s” and engaging with her nurses and doctors about their lives and long shifts.  Although she didn’t want her anyone to see her in that condition, she reiterated to her children that she wanted everyone to know how much she loved them.

She knew how blessed she was to have had such an amazing family and friends throughout her life. So grateful for all of it, Berj said she lacked nothing.

We’ll miss Berj greatly and always carry a piece of her in our hearts.

Arrangements by John J. Bryers Funeral Home www.bryersfh.com

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