Mr Thomas R."Tom" Hagopian

Thomas R. “Tom” Hagopian, 77, a native and lifelong resident of Fresno, passed away on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at his home after a brief illness. Tom was born in Fresno at the old St. Agnes Hospital, the son of Lee and Dorothy Garabedian Hagopian and was raised on the family farm in Kerman where he graduated from Kerman High School with the Class of 1962, playing football for the Kerman Lions. He later went on to receive his A.S. Degree from Fresno City College. Tom served in the United States Air Force for 4 years before returning to begin farming, spanning a career of 55 years in agriculture. Producing raisins on his ranches in Biola and the Lavina and Ripperdan districts of Madera County. He also hauled grapes for various famers in the Madera and Kerman areas. Tom was well known and active in the community serving as a past board member of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Raisins Bargaining Association. He was a member and Past President of the Madera Farm Bureau, and Past President of the Madera Chamber of Commerce where he used his talent in photography to take photos for the various chamber events. Tom was also a member of the Austin Healey Automobile Club, the California AG Leadership program #13, and the Leadership Fresno Program #2. Tom was also a published author having written “Spanish for the California Farmer” and “History of Raisins for Madera County”. Tom had a keen sense of humor and would often clip and bring newspaper cartoons to share with his friends at the morning coffee groups, whether it be at Farnesi’s and Perko’s in Madera, the donut shop at Herndon and West Avenues in Fresno or with his friends at Jay Chapel in Madera where he even found time to assist on funeral services and provide video recordings for families. However, Tom would often remark his favorite hobby was sleeping on the couch.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gary and by his niece Laura.
He is survived by his wife Carol Markus Hagopian, brother Bruce and his wife Carol, and their son David, his nephew, Tony his wife Jordon and daughter Eliot of Jackson Heights, N.Y., his niece Heidi, her daughters Brianna and Gillian, and Gillian’s son Cooper Voss, the light of Tom’s eyes, and by his brother-in-law Terry Markus and his wife Nan of Goodyear, AZ.

A funeral Service will be held at Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church of Fresno on Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Belmont Memorial Park.

Remembrances may be made to Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, 2226 Ventura Avenue, Fresno, CA 93721, Hinds Hospice, 2490 W. Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93711 or to the donor’s favorite charity.