Dr. Vahe Garabedian

Dr. Vahe (Gary) Garabedian, 98, of Endwell, formerly Binghamton, NY died peacefully on October 25, 2023. 
Vahe was born on March 9, 1925, to Armenian immigrants Avedis (Harry) and Makruhi (Margaret) Garabedian. He grew up on Binghamton’s South Side and was a lifelong member of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church. He graduated from Binghamton Central in January 1943 and enrolled in a pre-med program at the University of Michigan.  While there, he was called for duty in the Navy College Training Program (V-12). 
After completing his studies at Michigan in May 1945, Vahe was assigned to Great Lakes Naval Hospital and then to the University of Buffalo Medical School in the fall. He graduated with his medical degree in 1950.  After securing an internship at Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo, he was inducted into the Air Force and assigned to Niagara Falls Air Base and the Buffalo Induction Center, ultimately achieving the rank of Captain. Vahe completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania, returned to Binghamton in 1956, and established his eye care practice.  He retired in 1994 then worked as a volunteer at the Garabed Fattal Free Clinic.
It was in Buffalo where Vahe met and married the love of his life, Ruth Jane Conrad.  Together they had five children, whom he sometimes referred to by number when introducing them to others.  Vahe was a loving and devoted husband and father who held his children, like himself, to high standards.  He loved spending time with his “gang” which eventually grew in number through marriage and subsequent generations to twenty-five. 
Vahe’s interests included sailing, tennis, classical music, cars (having worked in his father’s garage), tinkering in his workshop, and puttering in the garden - caring for his own lawn and yard until the age of 94. 
Vahe was predeceased by his parents, his sister Annette, his wife Ruth, two daughters, Elizabeth Garabedian Harendza, and Valerie Kalwas, and son-in-law Paul Goulian.  He is survived by his brother Haig, daughter Carol Goulian, son Haig Garabedian (Anne), daughter Gwen Kania (Michael), son-in-law Robert Kalwas, eight grandchildren, Alyssa, Katherine, William, Michael, Elizabeth, Thomas, Kevin, and Melanie, four great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. 
Calling hours are Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 9-11am with Memorial Service immediately following, at J. F. Rice Funeral Home, 150 Main Street, Johnson City, NY 13760.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elizabeth Harendza Memorial Scholarship, c/o Elizabeth McDonald, Upper Darby High School, 601 N. Lansdowne Ave, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, or St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, 12 Corbett Ave, Binghamton NY 13903.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Dr. Vahe Garabedian, please visit our Tree Store.