Peter Balgochian, Jr., originally of Dorchester, Mass., passed away March 28, 2026 at the age of 90½. Peter was the middle child of Peter and Maritza (Moosessian) Balgochian, flanked by elder sister Elizabeth (d. 2020) and younger brother Albey. As a boy, Peter worked in the family variety store, but enjoyed school and often reminisced about his Boston Latin School days. At 17, Peter went to the BLS Valentine’s Day dance with a girl named MaryAnn; and his friend Greg went with a girl named Sophie Bazarian from Watertown. Long story short: Peter married Sophie and Greg married MaryAnn, and the four of them remained friends for the rest of their lives.
After two years of taking a train and two trolleys from Field’s Corner to Watertown to see Sophie, they married at St. James on April 8, 1956 in a double wedding with Peter’s sister and Sophie’s brother Aram. They lived in Watertown, and Peter obtained an Electrical Engineering degree at Tufts University before being inducted into the Army as a radio operator in July 1957. Not yet 21 years old, Peter and Sophie moved to Germany and lived in a “cozy” attic apartment with a twin bed and the bathtub in the kitchen. For the rest of their lives, they would regale family with happy memories from that time. They returned to Mass. in 1959 and bought their first home in Marlboro before Peter was recalled by the Army in 1961 for another year of service stateside as Radio Operator Specialist and Head Baker.
After the Army, Peter earned a B.S. in Industrial Technology and worked days while earning an M.B.A. from Northeastern University. In 1964, Peter and Sophie moved to Waltham where they welcomed their first child, Peter III, followed by daughter Mardi in an undisclosed year (ha!).
Peter worked in engineering, missile systems and weapons testing at Sylvania, Avco Missile Systems and Raytheon; and owned PlyGems Lumber (Waltham) while Sophie owned the Red Lion gift shop (Burlington). In 1973, Peter took a job with Xerox, and the family moved to California, then Texas, then back to California where he retired in 1994 at age 57. It was then he found his favorite role: playing Tevya in the St. Peter’s Armenian Apostolic Church production of Fiddler on the Roof, which he played with gusto to sold-out crowds. He sung those songs the rest of his life.
During the past three decades, Peter and Sophie (“JoAnne” on the West coast) lived predominantly in Westlake Village (CA); Las Vegas (where he was a blackjack dealer); Palm Coast (FL), their favorite; and Indio and Northridge (CA). During those years, they were heavily involved in the churches to which they belonged, him on parish councils and her on ladies’ guilds. They carpooled to work, entertained, enjoyed beaches, traveled, laughed like hyenas during poker nights and family gatherings, loved their children, and planted roses and tulips wherever they lived. When Mardi and husband Paul moved to Watertown in 2021, Peter and Sophie (both then 85) moved to nearby Lexington and, although aghast to end up back where they started (not to mention the cold weather), they relished being near family again (especially for holidays, weddings and new babies!), and rekindling enduring friendships.
Sophie passed away in Nov. 2023; April 8, 2026 would have been their 70th anniversary, which they now celebrate together again. What started as someone else’s date at a high school dance became a remarkable life filled with love, faith, patience, resilience, kids, family, friends and a mutual love of lehmajun (and a remarkable amount of “stuff” considering the number of times they moved). They are survived by son Peter III, wife Karen and only grandchild Katarina in Arizona; daughter Mardi and husband Paul Santos (known as “the favorite”); Peter’s brother Albey, sister-in-law Jane and nephew Miles; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, greats and great-greats. May you all continue to tell their stories, hear their laughter, and remember them and their endless love for you.
Visitation will be Monday, April 6, 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Bedrosian Funeral Home, 558 Mt Auburn St, Watertown, MA 02472. Funeral, Tuesday, April 7, 11:00 a.m. at St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt Auburn St, Watertown, MA 02472; followed by interment at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Highland Ave. at Stuart St., Watertown, MA 02472. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Saint James Armenian Church for upkeep of the lift so no other elderly person is prevented from attending Church.