Alexander Hachigian

1930 - 2022

Alexander Hachigian

1930-2022





Alexander was born to Michael and Varvar Hachigian on September 8, 1930 in Chicago, IL. A first generation American, he is the son of survivors of the Armenian Genocide. A loving husband, father, and grandfather, he passed away March 27, 2022 at the age of 91.

Al grew up in Chicago and graduated from Lane Tech High School (class of 1948). He went on to study at the University of Illinois, Chicago at Navy Pier where he earned a bachelor's degree in teaching mathematics and a master's degrees in education. He was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1954 and served as a Mathematics Statistics Assistant at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland until 1956. During that time, he was awarded the National Defense Service and Good Conduct medals.

After an Honorable Discharge from military service, Al attended the University of Illinoisâ€"Champagne Urbana where he met his wife Margaret as she supervised him as a student employee in cafeteria services. He graduated with a master's degree in electrical engineering.

Al married Marge in 1959 in Granite City, Illinois (Marge's hometown) and moved to New Mexico in 1960 to work as a member of the technical staff at Sandia Corporation (later Sandia National Laboratories). He pursued a long and fulfilling career as an engineer and trainer in the Military Liaison office at Sandia.

In 1989, he was selected Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff (DMTS) for his sustained technical contributions to the maintenance of a reliable stockpile of nuclear weapons. In 1991 he became a supervisor in the Weapon Training Division. He retired from Sandia in 1995 and later returned as a knowledge management consultant for the weapon container program and as a senior mentor for the Weapons Intern Program until 2018.

Al was a devoted lover of classical music, student of history, world traveler, outdoor adventurer, and amateur jewelry maker. He completed 8 backpacking trips through the Grand Canyon among the many family and Boy Scout hikes over the years. An avid race walker since the 1980s, he won his age category in multiple 5k races and walked across New Mexico to commemorate the state's centennial in 2012. Several of Al's silver smithed pieces won blue ribbons at the New Mexico State Fair.

Al was active in the local Armenian community where he and Marge formed many friendships throughout the years. He took a spirited role in the New Mexico Democratic Party and loved to debate politics with anyone willing to engage in a political discussion.

Al was fluent in the Armenian language and a passionate educator on the Armenian genocide. He is featured in The Children of the Armenian Genocide, an oral history film project that began with commemorating the 100th anniversary the genocide in 2015. http://armenianstories.org/gallery-of-testimonies

He was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild, having appeared in the feature film El Consigliere: Counselors in Crime and television series Nakia, both filmed in New Mexico in the early 1970s.

Alexander is preceded in death by his wife Margaret, parents Michael and Varvar, older brother Gabriel and his wife Jule, and daughter-in-law Martina Kreutzer. He is survived by his sons Michael and wife Terri Hachigian of Boise, ID.; Daniel of Woodside, CA.; and David and wife Nanette Domenici Hachigian of Richland, WA.; and seven grandchildren Timothy, Jakob, Greta, Lemons, Oliver, Shannon, and Madison.

Per his lifelong wishes, Al will be interred with his wife Margaret at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.

A memorial Service will be held in Albuquerque in May. For details, contact almahachig@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks to consider a donation to the Armenian General Benevolent Union https://agbu.org/, Classical KHFM radio https://khfm.org/, or New Mexico PBS https://www.newmexicopbs.org/.