James Sarkissian

James B. Sarkissian

James (Lefty) Sarkissian was called home to the Lord on January 10, 2021. He died peacefully at Christina Hospital in Wilmington. He was born July 7, 1941 in Niagara Falls, New York to his beloved parents Victor and Eileen Sarkissian.

Jim graduated from Malvern Preparatory School in 1959 where he was the class valedictorian and was a National Merit Scholarship finalist. He attended St. Louis University and graduated earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Chemistry. After graduating he worked in the corporate arena for several years but his love of music and his gentle spirit led him to a singing career primarily singing at nursing homes and senior centers throughout the tri-state area. He treated his work in this field more as a ministry than a job and his gentle words and songs were healing to the minds and spirits of the thousands of elderly he touched. They truly loved “Lefty”. Jim loved to SING FOR THE LORD. He was a member of the Daylesford Abbey Folk Group and sang weekly at the Abbey Mass for 50 years.

He loved all Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Phillies. He would talk to anybody and everybody about His Beloved Phillies. He graduated from a professional baseball umpire school in Florida and umpired several Babe Ruth League and American Legion games in the Chester County area. He loved the music of Gordon Lightfoot. He loved to tell “corny” jokes and was an expert punster.

Jim was preceded in death by his mother and father Victor and Eileen Sarkissian, his brother Victor Sarkissian Jr., his sister Mary Jo Ehrhart and her husband David. He is survived by brother Kevin (Clare) Sarkissian of Wilmington, De., B.J. Sarkissian and fiancée Tamara Sheen of W. Stockbridge, Mass., Merrilou Sarkissian of Savannah, Ga. (widow of Victor Sarkissian Jr.) nephews Christopher, Jeremy, Trey, Kevin, Brian, Marty, and Dan and nieces Ellen, Kate, and Chrissy, and 20 grand nieces and grand nephews, 2 great grandnephews and 1 great grandniece.

A burial will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Daylesford Abbey 220 S Valley Rd, Paoli, PA 19301.