Tufts gives final salute to John K. Baronian

by Tom Vartabedian

Published: Saturday November 08, 2008

Six months after his death, John K. Baronian is still being remembered on the campus of Tufts University.

Perhaps even more so.

People walk each day around the track of the Baronian Athletic Complex where his name is suspended for all to behold.

The football team is in the midst of a very successful season and one lineman will receive a distinguished Baronian Award as its most valuable player.

What's more, a Baronian family scholarship will be presented to a student of high academic rank who personifies the examples set forth by the university and the benefactor.

Earlier this football season, Tufts ended a 21-year drought by defeating Williams College in a game inspired by Mr. Baronian. At a team meeting, it was decided to dedicate this game to Mr. Baronian and the players responded with exuberance.

"We had a tailgate and gave the football team a pep talk," said Athletic Director William Gehling. "John was up above having a debate with an angel. He was the invisible force that guided this victory (17-7) with his never-say-die attitude."

In a memorial tribute worthy of a departed campus guru, Mr. Baronian was befittingly eulogized by a host of students, administrators, colleagues and friends on Oct. 23 inside the school's Goddard Chapel where he was known to pray for his football victories.

On the day of his funeral this past April, a motorcade wound up at the Baronian complex en route to the cemetery. A Baronian crony could be heard yelling, "Win this one for John." He may have been referring to the imminent Williams game.

The celebration of Mr. Baronian's life--that's what they called it--included appropriate messages, songs, a powerful video, and more smiles than tears, just the way he would have liked.

Mr. Gehling recalled the time he went on a recruiting mission and asked Mr. Baronian to accompany him. The three highly-regarded football prospects wound up at other schools, much to Mr. Gehling's dismay, though John Baronian had better luck that day.

He signed each of their parents to an insurance policy as a top salesman for American Mutual.

There were stories about his massive elephant collection being turned over to the university to manifest the "Jumbo" nickname, tales of his daily courtships at Tufts, even the honorary doctorate he received in 1997, the culmination of 60 years service with the institution.

Chances are, if you didn't get a football ticket from Mr. Baronian, he gave you an elephant pin. It was his way of performing an ambassadorship role.

"Believing that his college education gave him a leg up on life from his humble origins as the son of Armenian refugee parents, John was always willing to help deserving students in their endeavors, regardless of their backgrounds," said President Lawrence S. Bacow.

"If there were a more loyal, passionate and committed Tufts alumnus than John Baronian, I have yet to meet him," Mr. Bacow added. "I never attended a football game without seeing John, rain or shine. He attended every Tufts event. Students especially loved him. He was always reaching out to them. There might be 4,000 colleges and institutions in the United States, but in John's mind, there was only one. As much as he loved this university, Tufts loved him back."

One of the last wedding invitations he received was from Alyssa Serian, a New Hampshire student who was among the hundreds Mr. Baronian had assisted and counseled in the Armenian Club. She may not have met her Armenian husband had it not been for this Cupid.

"John advocated students of Armenian descent over the last half century," said President Emeritus John DiBiaggio. "He felt that every Armenian who applied to Tufts should have been admitted. Consequently, those who were accepted turned into good students. I wish we could have accommodated each and every Armenian who applied."

News of an alumni lifetime achievement award being made in Mr. Baronian's name only complemented what's already out there.

Soprano Dana Maren Maelzner, an opera major, presented a musical interlude, including a stirring version of the Gomidas Vartabed song, "Groung." An original composition titled "Baroniana" was debuted by Associate Professor John McDonald.

A video documented Mr. Baronian's life, from his early days as the son of genocide survivors, Hovannes and Margaret Baronian, straight through to his football-playing days at Tufts and finally his work as president of the Alumni Association and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston, which he also chaired.

The evening ended on a rather emotional note as attendees left the chapel to a gauntlet of 300 student-athletes each holding candles which glowed in the darkness.

A reception capped the evening.