Obituary of Garabet Zakarian

With great sorrow, the Zakarian and Gokdag families announce the passing of our  beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather brother and uncle, Garbis Zakarian to an unexpected illness. 

He was born in 1941 in Beirut Lebanon but left the war torn country in 1976 with his wife Maro and three young children Salpi, Harout and Vahe to begin a new life in Canada. With little money, no knowledge of English and what might have seemed as a foreign culture to someone so devoted to his Armenian heritage, he worked diligently to provide for his family. He had saved money to buy land and a home in Beirut but instead used the money to acquire something fundamentally more important, freedom and safety for his family. After many hard years he was extremely proud that he was able to fulfil his dream of becoming a homeowner. 

Garbis was proud to be grandfather to Mihran, Hrayr, Martyna, Grayce, Zariné and Steven. It is regrettable that he did not live long enough to see his great grandson who, with the Grace of God, will be born soon. 

He was loved and will be greatly missed.

Services will be held at St. Gregory The Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church on Saturday March 4 2023 at 2pm. Flowers are wonderful but the family requests donations be made to the church instead where he served as Deacon for more than 30 years.