Alexander M. Panossian

Dr. Alexander Mihertad Panossian, 86, passed away on October 1, 2025, in Paramus, NJ.

Born in 1939 in Lebanon to Armenian parents, Alexander was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He was predeceased by his wife, Nuha (whom he described as his first and only love), his sister, Anahid, and his parents, Mihertad and Khosrofouhie.

Behind Alexander's green eyes, he had a sparkling intelligence, earning a medical degree in urological surgery from the American University of Beirut, and speaking five languages- Armenian, Arabic, French, English and Turkish. He loved music, listening to singers Charles Aznavour, Ella Fitzgerald, and was convinced of the Beatles stardom early in their career.

Alexander prided himself on being a provider. He rescued his young family from the bullets and shells of the Lebanese Civil War in 1976 Beirut and established a secure life in the United States despite having lost his connections. Once he was secure, he turned to assist those relatives that he had left behind in making the same journey- opening our home to them or helping them find homes of their own.

He won many fans among the nursing staff wherever he worked with his charm and ready smile. Even when a patient himself at Valley hospital in his 80s, nurses would recognize him from his previous work there and come over to greet him. We daughters would be behind him as he would be wheeled into a room and would hear "I know him! I worked with him twenty years ago! Dr. Panossian!!!"

Many former colleagues recognized his honorable commitment to serving others. He would see disabled patients in their homes, and then wave away their offers of payment. He only retired from his clinic work at the age of eighty because of the COVID pandemic. He was appreciated by his incarcerated clinic patients for his manner with them, asking that their handcuffs be removed while he treated them.

In his daily life with his family, Alexander expressed his love of travel and of cars; he would point out the make and year of the cars we passed on the highway to the never-ending amazement of his daughters. He taught them the how-tos of car maintenance including fixing one's own flat tire. His favorite cars were Buicks- the Riviera and LaCrosse. He also loved dogs, and shared dog-washing duties with his bucket-toting grandchildren, Amanda and Michael.

Alexander is survived by his daughters Sophie Panossian and Tanya (Benjamin) Panossian-Lesser, his grandchildren, Amanda and Michael Lesser, all of Ridgewood, N.J. and by his half-brother Zaven (Rima) Panossian of Auckland, New Zealand. He also will be lovingly remembered by his sister's children Vahé (Anita) Hovsepian and Ghevont (Anouche) Hovsepian of the Philadelphia area and Raffi (Marie-Rose) Hovsepian of Beirut, Lebanon. He was also very close to his nephews and nieces through marriage: Sami (Diane) Eliya of Ridgewood, Nada (George) Wood of Ramsey, N.J., Assaad (Nadine) Dagher of Beirut, Lebanon, Rana (Imad) Dagher of Portland, Me., Nicolas (Veda) Dagher of Virginia Beach, Va., Fida Dagher of Mt. Kisco, N.Y., and Khalil Dagher of Elmwood Park, N.J..

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to an important cause to my father; to support Armenia: Armenia Fund