Obituary for Dr. Arsenio Gerard "Jerry" Agopovich
Troy - Dr. Arsenio Gerard Agopovich (Jerry) died on Monday, August 10, 2020 after living a long, full, and amazing life of 97 years.
Jerry was born in the European section of Turkey (Karaagac) on January 22, 1923. He was predeceased by his mother Isa Scerbet and father Bertrand Agopovich.
Jerry was married twice, first to Janice Slocum in 1954. She died unexpectedly in 1968. He had a long and loving second marriage to Elizabeth Zukowski (Betty) of 48 years. She passed away in 2018.
Jerry is survived by two children from his first marriage; Dr. John W. Agopovich (Bill) of Franklin MA and Joanne Agopovich of Lansingburgh; also, Bill’s spouse, Deborah Rich of Franklin, MA; two grandchildren, John W. Agopovich Jr. and Evan T. Agopovich, both of Medway, MA; a younger brother, Giovanni Agopovich, who resides in Rome, Italy and a sister-in-law, Leila and a nephew, Francesco both also of Rome.
Jerry was educated from primary school through medical school in Istanbul, Turkey. He attended Turkish, French, and Italian schools and became fluent in these languages, along with English. He spent the initial 29 years of his life in Istanbul, living there during the years leading up to and including World War II.
Jerry traveled to the United States on October 2, 1952 to begin an internship at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, NY. This is where he met his first wife Janice. Jerry also had extensive residency training at the Methodist Hospital in Peoria IL, St Joseph Hospital in Chicago and the Polyclinic Medical School and Hospital in New York City. Jerry became a US citizen in 1957. He often said many times how friendly Americans were when he moved here. This is one of the reasons he became an US citizen. Throughout his life he would comment many times how proud he was to be an American citizen.
Jerry became licensed as a physician at Samaritan Hospital in 1958 and had his own practice at 603- 19th Street in Watervliet for 20 years. In the 1980’s he joined the group of Troy Internists, Capital Healthcare Associates, which is now known as Community Care Physicians located in Troy.
For 60 years he was a primary care physician treating many patients of multiple generations of families. In addition to his primary care career, Jerry served in other positions such as director, advisory committee member, board member, trustee and in medical conduct review at local schools, nursing homes and hospitals. He dedicated much of his time to the Lansingburgh School District providing a wide range of medical consultation and support.
Jerry received many awards including the Third Age Achievement Award in 1997, Northeast Health Foundation Founders Award in 2004, and most recently the initial Arsenio Agopovich Award for Excellence in Primary Care in May of 2012. In 1935 he received a Certificate of Honor in Catechism, signed by his Excellency Bishop Angelo Roncalli who later became Pope John XXIII in the early 1958.
Jerry was a philanthropist to the highest degree. He made generous donations and offered his time to St Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh, the Boys and Girls Club in Lansingburgh, Northeast Health Foundation, and many other organizations and charities.
When Jerry had spare time, he and Betty travelled extensively in Europe, Canada, and the US. He enjoyed visiting his brother in Rome and cousins in Paris. They also spent significant time in Florida, in the winter months, enjoying good weather and playing many rounds of golf. Golf was his passion and when he was not working he spent much time at the Country Club of Troy where he and Betty enjoyed the company of the other club members and where he enthusiastically served board positions.
A warm thank you is given to Dr. Ronald Musto, Dr Prabhakar Chava, Mary Galuski and other members of the Community Care Physicians team. We also extend a thank you to the nurses and staff at Samaritan Hospital and Eddy Heritage House.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Jerry on Friday at 11 am in St. Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh and the Rite of Committal and interment will follow in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Troy. Friends and colleagues are invited to attend and may also visit with Jerry’s family on Thursday from 4 until 7 pm at the Parker Bros. Memorial, 2013 Broadway in Watervliet. In accordance with mandated health guidelines, all guests must wear masks, observe social distancing and will be limited to a specific number inside the buildings at any given time.
For those who wish to remember Jerry in a special way, donations may be sent to St. Augustine’s Church, 25-115th Street, Troy, NY 12182, the Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing, c/o 310 South Manning Boulevard, Albany, NY 12208 or the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, NY 12204 in memory of Dr. Arsenio G. Agopovich.
Jerry was born in the European section of Turkey (Karaagac) on January 22, 1923. He was predeceased by his mother Isa Scerbet and father Bertrand Agopovich.
Jerry was married twice, first to Janice Slocum in 1954. She died unexpectedly in 1968. He had a long and loving second marriage to Elizabeth Zukowski (Betty) of 48 years. She passed away in 2018.
Jerry is survived by two children from his first marriage; Dr. John W. Agopovich (Bill) of Franklin MA and Joanne Agopovich of Lansingburgh; also, Bill’s spouse, Deborah Rich of Franklin, MA; two grandchildren, John W. Agopovich Jr. and Evan T. Agopovich, both of Medway, MA; a younger brother, Giovanni Agopovich, who resides in Rome, Italy and a sister-in-law, Leila and a nephew, Francesco both also of Rome.
Jerry was educated from primary school through medical school in Istanbul, Turkey. He attended Turkish, French, and Italian schools and became fluent in these languages, along with English. He spent the initial 29 years of his life in Istanbul, living there during the years leading up to and including World War II.
Jerry traveled to the United States on October 2, 1952 to begin an internship at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, NY. This is where he met his first wife Janice. Jerry also had extensive residency training at the Methodist Hospital in Peoria IL, St Joseph Hospital in Chicago and the Polyclinic Medical School and Hospital in New York City. Jerry became a US citizen in 1957. He often said many times how friendly Americans were when he moved here. This is one of the reasons he became an US citizen. Throughout his life he would comment many times how proud he was to be an American citizen.
Jerry became licensed as a physician at Samaritan Hospital in 1958 and had his own practice at 603- 19th Street in Watervliet for 20 years. In the 1980’s he joined the group of Troy Internists, Capital Healthcare Associates, which is now known as Community Care Physicians located in Troy.
For 60 years he was a primary care physician treating many patients of multiple generations of families. In addition to his primary care career, Jerry served in other positions such as director, advisory committee member, board member, trustee and in medical conduct review at local schools, nursing homes and hospitals. He dedicated much of his time to the Lansingburgh School District providing a wide range of medical consultation and support.
Jerry received many awards including the Third Age Achievement Award in 1997, Northeast Health Foundation Founders Award in 2004, and most recently the initial Arsenio Agopovich Award for Excellence in Primary Care in May of 2012. In 1935 he received a Certificate of Honor in Catechism, signed by his Excellency Bishop Angelo Roncalli who later became Pope John XXIII in the early 1958.
Jerry was a philanthropist to the highest degree. He made generous donations and offered his time to St Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh, the Boys and Girls Club in Lansingburgh, Northeast Health Foundation, and many other organizations and charities.
When Jerry had spare time, he and Betty travelled extensively in Europe, Canada, and the US. He enjoyed visiting his brother in Rome and cousins in Paris. They also spent significant time in Florida, in the winter months, enjoying good weather and playing many rounds of golf. Golf was his passion and when he was not working he spent much time at the Country Club of Troy where he and Betty enjoyed the company of the other club members and where he enthusiastically served board positions.
A warm thank you is given to Dr. Ronald Musto, Dr Prabhakar Chava, Mary Galuski and other members of the Community Care Physicians team. We also extend a thank you to the nurses and staff at Samaritan Hospital and Eddy Heritage House.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Jerry on Friday at 11 am in St. Augustine’s Church in Lansingburgh and the Rite of Committal and interment will follow in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Troy. Friends and colleagues are invited to attend and may also visit with Jerry’s family on Thursday from 4 until 7 pm at the Parker Bros. Memorial, 2013 Broadway in Watervliet. In accordance with mandated health guidelines, all guests must wear masks, observe social distancing and will be limited to a specific number inside the buildings at any given time.
For those who wish to remember Jerry in a special way, donations may be sent to St. Augustine’s Church, 25-115th Street, Troy, NY 12182, the Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing, c/o 310 South Manning Boulevard, Albany, NY 12208 or the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands, NY 12204 in memory of Dr. Arsenio G. Agopovich.