After a courageous battle with liver cancer,longtime Armenian Weekly columnist Tom Vartabedian passed away final night. Tom Vartabedian (Photo: WSJ) Vartabedian’s name is no stranger to the pages of the Armenian Weekly—he has volunteered his services as a columnist and correspondent with the paper for nearly a half century. His countless articles enjoy appeared in several Armenian and non-Armenian publications over the years, covering everything from community events and initiatives, and to interesting individuals and their stories from both Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. For decades,readers looked forward to his weekly “Poor Tom’s Almanac” column, which has been published for 46 consecutive years, or since 1970. The Armenian Weekly will highlight Vartabedian’s work and legacy in the coming weeks. Below is Vartabedian’s final column,which he wrote on Oct. 12. *** The discontinuance to an Indelible Career As the dog said when he bit his tail, “This must be the discontinuance. After 50 years as a writer and photographer for The Gazette, and my career as a roving journalist has near to a staggering halt. In the interim,I’ve had the luxury of covering every beat possible. My Almanac started in 1970 as a way of perhaps introducing some levity into [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com