E. Philip Brown and Tom Vartabedian during WHAV’s Open Mike Show last March.
Tom Vartabedian, who wrote for the Haverhill Gazette more than 50 years through multiple owners, died of cancer Saturday, Nov. 12, at age 76.
He began as a staff writer at the Haverhill Gazette in 1966, hired by Newspapers of New England, a year after the battle ended between the newspaper and its erstwhile rival, Haverhill Journal. He later added the titles of sports writer and photographer. Vartabedian continued when the newspaper was purchased by Scripps League Newspapers of San Mateo, Calif., Pulitzer Inc. newspapers and, finally, the Eagle-Tribune.
During the early 1980s, he was the editor of The Gazette’s then-Saturday edition, called Wavelengths. He also served a brief stint as reporter and editor of the Business Bulletin.
Vartabedian and E. Philip Brown most recently appeared on WHAV’s Open Mike Show last March discuss their new book, “Armenians in the Merrimack Valley.” Last year, Vartabedian came on the program to discuss the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. He discussed his then-upcoming photography exhibit “Armenia: A Country Kaleidoscope.”
Funeral arrangements will be announced.
tom…we will all miss you….RIP
Poor Tom and condolences to his family! Tom was certainly an asset to the Gazette and to our community.