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 Posted: Nov 5, 2010 06:43PM
 Edited:  Nov 6, 2010 04:27AM
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omg.....do I laugh or cry? Some of both.......

Reminds me of going to a restaurant in Boston, when he said his name was Napoleon. When they called it out, it was very loud, and he jumped up twice as loud and was sure they knew it was him!

Cripes - also remembered two presents he gave me - one for my 40th birthday, when I was racing a Mini #12 at the time.....and he made some heavy gold cufflinks with a little Mini and two numbers - 40 and 12. Then for the birthday 10 years after......two big B initials with diamonds all over. Looking at them now. Wow.

The world is a darker place without Hrach.

Peter - 65 UK Moke, 60 Bugeye Sprite.  email:  [email protected]

 

 Posted: Nov 5, 2010 05:50PM
kd
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CA

We met Hrach in 1981. He came to Montreal with his Mercedes Mini. It had Mercedes headlamps. He came often to visit and ignored every red light when we would go out to eat. He used to come up to buy pastries and eat at our local Austrian restaurant. In the picture in the pouring rain are me and Keith at Mini Meet 30 1989 at Silverstone.I put my t-shirt over my jacket . We had a blast.  Catherine met Hrach in Maine a few years back and  again in Ohio this summer although he flew in and did not have a Mini or a Moke to drive.

In 1989 when we got married he was late arriving because he had put an engagement ring on the roof of his car and drove away...oops. a $5000.00 mistake. The ring was never found.

He presented us with a painting of himself dressed as Napoeleon with his Moke.

It was painted by a client if I remember well .He autographed the glass.

We will miss Hrach and his invisible twin that only appears in Mini Meet panoramic pictures.

Deb, Keith and Catherine

Keith & Deb

Avatar:Turn 1 at the Glen

 Posted: Nov 5, 2010 11:18AM
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CA

Thanks for all the pics and stories....I didn't know him well, but will never forget him - he was my intorduction to mokes as well, over 25yrs ago, and was a character...the glass were unblievable.

 

RIP

www.rxautoworks.com
 Posted: Nov 5, 2010 06:36AM
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Post a few pics from today's "Massachusetts Mini Meet", please, so we can share a bit of the day as we remember Hrach.

SE7EN

 Posted: Nov 5, 2010 05:25AM
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CA

ttt- for Hrach-  R. I. P.-/ thank you peter & Deb for those great pics-

BIG AL-

new e-mail address-
[email protected]

Please update your records-

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 12:44PM
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Hey Hrach!  Nanu-Nanu!

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 12:02PM
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Peter, thanks so much for posting those photos for me! You are awesome!!! - Deb

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 11:59AM
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And :

one from somewhere else:

Peter - 65 UK Moke, 60 Bugeye Sprite.  email:  [email protected]

 

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 11:54AM
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Here are some pictures of Hrach, all from Deb (Miniac1), she would like to share:

Peter - 65 UK Moke, 60 Bugeye Sprite.  email:  [email protected]

 

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 07:28AM
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Just a few things I remember about Hrach:

  • No matter who you were, or what nationality, if he knew you, you were his friend and you were Armenian.  I remember meeting a friend of his one time while visiting. The guy had red hair and freckles. Hrach referred to him as his red-headed, freckled, Armenian friend.
  • The time Rich and I went to Boston for my birthday (Oct 1986). We spent the majority of our time with Hrach. An afternoon in his jewelry shop (he was a jeweler/gemologist and his late dad was a gold smith). What an education! After leaving there, I will never buy another piece of jewelry from a “mall store”.
    • Same trip to Boston, we went out to dinner at the Union Oyster House and stuffed ourselves. Then Hrach took us on his personal tour of Boston. Not such a good idea to let Hrach drive you around when your stomach is that full. It was hair raising to say the least but at least I didn’t barf.
    • Went to Hrach’s house for dinner and met his mom. A wonderfully warm lady. She was nervous because a lot of Hrach’s guests didn’t care for Armenian food. Well, Rich and I aren’t fussy. All the food was Armenian and homemade. We had stuffed grape leaves and fresh humus to name just a couple of things. We ate so well, Hrach and his mom started emptying out the pantry to bring us more to eat. When Rich and Hrach went into the living room to chat, “mom” shared some family recipes with me.
    • Tour of Hrach’s room. It was in the basement and was truly a Mini museum. On the foot of his bed was the nose of a classic Mini. It was a tight fit but he actually slept in it. Said he had to turn his feet sideways so the fit under the “bonnet”.
    • The legendary Moke ride he gave the hotel coordinator at the Knoxville MME. The event was winging down and we were all outside the front of the hotel during the raffle/giveaways. Hrach decided that this poor girl should experience a ride in a Mini. She thought it was a great idea. So Hrach took her on a hair raising ride, in autocross style, through the parking lot. When she got out of his Moke, we were all hysterical laughing. She was laughing too but definitely “stunned” and as she passed me I asked her if her pants were still dry.  She said that, fortunately, they were.
    • His Mini eyeglasse frames that he made out of silver. We were at the International Mini Meet at Silverstone in England. He was wearing them and they broke. Somehow, he managed to repair them and wear them the rest of the weekend.
    • The wonderful Mini jewelry he made…. and just gave away. Example: Like Hrach, I was also a MINI Motoring Advisor and wore a Hrach classic Mini necklace all the time. My customers would always ask me where I got it and I would send them to Hrach. At Christmas time, a package arrived in the mail from Hrach. When I opened it, it was a 14k gold new MINI charm. No note, just the charm. Now who do you know that gives away 14k gold charms to his friends?
    • His Mini stories. Like when he and Vince Biondo drove Hrach’s Moke cross country (both ways) with no side curtains (panels). The rain stories were really funny.
    • The “Hrach Habach”. He made a small BBQ grill out of a Hibachi and Mini camshafts for the legs.  He would make Armenian shish kebobs and hand them out to folks. There were really good too!

Deb Franks

 Posted: Nov 4, 2010 04:33AM
 Edited:  Nov 4, 2010 04:39AM
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Hrach was always had a great spirit, in all aspects of his life.  As a fellow Armenian he was like a family member.  He will be dearly missed.  RIP Hrach I know you are with the Lord now.

 

Ararad, Kimberly and Mirijan Hovsepian

www.minisrock.com
 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 06:36PM
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The latest plan is for NEMO members to meet at the following location. Anyone and everyone is welcome to connect up there ...

He was one in a million...

"There is a large parking lot on Memorial Drive in Cambridge where Micro Center and Trader Joes is located. Perhaps we can meet there and leave from there at 11am. There is only on street parking near the church which is about five miles from Micro Center."

We can fix that ... just need a blowtorch and more peanut butter.
 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 05:12PM
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Lots of folks are coming from all over. Rich Franks and Doug Scribner are driving there from upstate NY. Larry Holloway and Barry Savar are coming from NJ. I'm sure there are others from elsewhere. There are tentative plans to gather after the viewing to celebrate Hrach's life, share memories and a toast to a very special person.  Hrach was a big deal so his send off should be just as big.

Peter B., you will be there via cell phone. Rich will call you.

Debbie

 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 08:22AM
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I haven't heard of any other other folks meeting up for Hrach's funeral, but if you're in the Boston area, some folks are meeting up on Soldier's Field Rd at 11:30 to caravan to the church in Watertown.  I think he'd like a big turn-out. :-)

 

//massmotoringclub.com/index.php?topic=3158.msg69716#msg69716

 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 08:19AM
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Sounds like I missed out on meeting a hell of a guy / character !

Looks like he was the life of the "party".

 

 

 

..

 

"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May

"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge

 

 

 

 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 06:20AM
 Edited:  Nov 3, 2010 06:26AM
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Due to a major family committment, I will not be able to attend the celebration of Hrach's life. To all my friends who are going, please express my love and respect, and all that, to his Mom, Cesar and the family. And be sure to hoist a few in his honor, as I have already done and plan to continue as much as possible. Wish I could join you - I'll be there in spirit. I sure hope that museum thing with David works out - if I had more space, I'd volunteer to be a custodian for the Hrach museum. This is something that needs to be done - I am considering calling someone at MINIUSA HQ to see if they'd be interested in a huge bunch of history of the brand. Mini forever, Mini always!

Cheers,

Peter - 65 UK Moke, 60 Bugeye Sprite.  email:  [email protected]

 

 Posted: Nov 3, 2010 06:17AM
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For those of you who did not know Hrach long, he has had some health issues in the past several years. We talked about it once at MINI training in San Francisco when I talked to him about my diagnosis of MS. Anyway, the small stroke 10+ years ago when he had a "mini" stroke (that he joked about because it was "Mini"). It took him a year or two to bounce back from it - he had some sagging in his face (minor) walked with a cane for a while.

I just hope he didn't suffer and it was fast.

I will really miss him.

Deb

 Posted: Nov 2, 2010 07:59PM
 Edited:  Nov 5, 2010 07:02AM
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RIP old friend! There are not to many left that had the integrity you did!

Thank you for your kindness and friendship, your gift to me in 1986 still sits on my key ring.A gift from Hrach

 Posted: Nov 2, 2010 05:50PM
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I booked a room at the Crowne Point Hotel 617-969-3010 they have a restaurant / bar so after the viewing we can give our friend a proper send off by remembering all the good times we had and adventures we shared..........

 Posted: Nov 2, 2010 05:14PM
FJC
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How terrible!!!!  Hrach truly was larger than life, and a friend to all of us. The Mini community is smaller with his passing.

Found 80 Messages

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