In Memory of Arthur Panosian

Arthur Haig Panosian, of Belmont and South Yarmouth, MA, passed away peacefully at the age of 92 on June 22. Engineer and author, he was the devoted husband of the late Louise (Berberian) Panosian for over 63 years. The only son of Victoria and Haig Panosian, survivors of the Armenian Genocide, he was the beloved father of Arthur Jr., Steven, David and his wife Linda, and Jennifer (Panosian) Esserian and her husband John. He also was a loving grandfather to Zachary, Victoria, Slater and Alexandria Panosian, and John and Robert Esserian.

Born in Boston, raised in Cambridge and Watertown, he was a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts and a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Arthur enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951 during the Korean War and was trained as a radar operator, and later as a radar mechanic, operating and maintaining airborne bombardment systems and associated radars. Assigned to the Strategic Air Command, 15th Air Force, 43rd Bombardment Wing, he worked on the B-29 and B-50 bombers.

After active duty in the Air Force, he worked at Laboratory for Electronics, Inc. (LFE) where he engaged in the miniature tube and transistor design and development of self-contained Doppler navigation systems installed in the F-105 Thunderchief Fighter/Bomber aircraft used in the Vietnam War. Concurrently he attended Northeastern University, obtaining degrees in electronic engineering, engineering and management, and a masters degree in business. After 15 years at LFE he joined Avco Everett Research Laboratory, Inc. (AERL) as a project engineer. As senior staff member, he became engineering operations manager and eventually the director of management information systems. As project engineer, he was assigned responsibility for the design, development and delivery of two RTOS (real-time optical systems) known as HAVE KIT to the US Air Force. These one-of-a-kind highly-classified airborne remote intercontinental ballistic missile reentry monitoring systems were used by the US Air Force Strategic Air Command’s Cobra Ball aircraft. As operations manager, Panosian was responsible for the airborne and ground-based reentry monitoring of domestic (Minuteman-III) and non-domestic intercontinental ballistic missile tests. These missions took him to Hawaii, Alaska and other aircraft staging areas in the Pacific. The monitoring was conducted by US Air Force KC 135 aircraft TRAP-1 (terminal radiation program) and TRAP-7 over the Pacific Ocean as well as White Sands Missile Range. In 2014, he wrote and published his first book, From Vacuum Tubes to ICBMs and my Subconscious: Autobiography of an Armenian-American.

His career at LFE and AERL was dedicated to maintaining his country’s strong military presence through the advancement of technology.

Arthur’s favorite youth pastimes included violin, shooting pool, competitive card games and various sports. He went on to coach recreational youth hockey in Belmont for many years. He enjoyed summers at Cape Cod and frequent travel, Aruba being a favorite destination with Louise. He served as a trustee at Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Greater Boston.

We were truly blessed with every day we had with this incredible, brilliant man. He enriched our lives with his intelligence, wisdom and valuable lessons with genuine love, devotion and pride for each of us. He always emphasized and encouraged his grandchildren to pursue their dreams through education. Although heartbroken, we take comfort knowing he is reunited with his true love.

Funeral services will be held at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA on Wednesday, June 28, at 11:30 a.m. Visiting hours will be in the church sanctuary from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. immediately prior to the funeral service.

Interment will be at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown, MA. Memorial donations in his name may be made to The National Kidney Foundation or Holy Trinity Armenian Church.