Hagop Shahe Jebejian

Hagop Shahe Jebejian 

(1938-2025)

Hagop Shahe Jebejian, of Englewood Cliffs, NJ, entered his eternal rest on May 3, 2025, after a brief illness. Born in Aleppo, Syria in 1938 to parents Sarkis and Mariam Jebejian, both from prominent families in the historic Armenian city Aintab in Eastern Anatolia. Shahe attended French schools in Aleppo and Beirut, Lebanon, eventually enrolling in the American University of Beirut, graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. At A.U.B., he met Olympia Tabibian, the absolute love of his life. They were married in 1967, by then Bishop Karekin Sarkissian, the future Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. Shahe and Olympia were essentially inseparable until her unexpected passing in 2021, just a few weeks shy of their 54th wedding anniversary.

Seeking a brighter future for their family, Shahe and Olympia emigrated to the United States in 1969, settling in Fort Lee, NJ. They welcomed their son Sarkis shortly thereafter in 1969, followed by their daughter Maria in 1973. In 1969, Shahe joined the storied structural engineering firm Weidlinger Associates. In his 40-plus year career, Shahe played an instrumental role in projects such as the iconic 9 West 57th office building and Marriot Marquis Hotel both in Manhattan, as well as the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Even more noteworthy, Shahe obtained a U.S. security clearance to work on projects for the U.S. diplomatic, military and intelligence services, including the renovation and fortification of the U.S. embassy in Amman, Jordan, as well as numerous classified projects.

Beyond professional achievements, Shahe’s life was defined by family, faith and community. His wife Olympia and children Sarkis and his wife Maral, and Maria and her husband Bryan, were his absolute priorities in life – always available for the largest and smallest matters, Shahe’s family was his favorite hobby. And for the members of their large extended family, his and Olympia’s home was a hub of activity and even served as an informal math and science tutoring facility and study hall for nieces and nephews. And of course the recent years were filled with joy by Shahe’s and Olympia’s four grandchildren – Robert Shahe (23) and Arto Bryan (20) Stepanian and Shahe Paul (21) and Katia Marie (19) Jebejian. Named “Hopa” by Robby as an infant (a term of address eventually adopted by the entire extended family), Shahe was ever present in their lives, even joyfully serving as Katia’s driver to tennis lessons in the years after Olympia’s passing which had so devastated him.

As for faith, Shahe was born into a family devoted to the Armenian Church. His grandfather Reverend Father Nersess Tavukjian was a hero in the battle of Aintab and his diaries chronicled the deportation and murder of Armenians during the Genocide. Shahe’s uncle, Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, was the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of America and the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, as well as founder of the St. Vartan Cathedral complex in New York and the St. Nersess Seminary, and Shahe’s late brother Father Nersess, survived by his wife Yeretsgin Aurora, and nephew Father Aren are priests of the Armenian Church. Shahe served his local parish St. Thomas Armenian Church as a Parish Council Member, Diocesan Delegate and Armenian School teacher. One of Shahe’s proudest endeavors was when he and his long time colleague from Weidlinger, Mr. Antranig Ouzounian, led the engineering of the renovation of St. Vartan Cathedral in the 1990s, and he closely followed the current renovation project and wished very much to witness its success. Shahe also served on the Board of Directors of St. Nersess Seminary. And as a true testament of his faith, Shahe attended the services at St. Thomas every Sunday until he was no longer physically able.

As for his dedication to community, Shahe was a life-long member and leader of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the world’s largest Armenian non-profit which promotes the prosperity and well being of Armenians worldwide. He was a leader in A.G.B.U.’s community centers in the Middle East and later in the U.S. was a member of the AGBU International Youth Committee which organized the highly successful World Athletic Games in Los Angeles in 1986 and in Miami in 1988. Shahe also was the Chair of the A.G.B.U. Eastern District Committee in the 1990s and in his later years a member of the Board of Karagheusian Foundation dedicated to serving Armenian children and families.

Shahe is survived by his children, his brother Aren and wife Seta, grandchildren and hundreds of family and friends who will miss him deeply and keep his spirit alive by carrying forward his dedication to family, faith and community. His family asks that donations in lieu of flowers be made to the St. Vartan Cathedral Renovation Project of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) or to the St. Thomas Armenian Church.

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