Honoring the Great Harriet S Geragosian - Steadfast, Caring, Progressive Leader

By Tim O’Brien

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the great Harriet S Geragosian. I am saddened for her wonderful family, and I extend my heartfelt sympathy to her son, State Auditor and former state Rep John Geragosian, his wife, Audrey, daughter Molly and all of the members of their family.

This is also a moment that makes me recall, with sadness, the passing of Harriet’s husband of 62 years, Harold J Geragosian, who was, himself a great, moral, progressive voice in New Britain. Both of them are sadly missed.

Harriet was always a kind person to everyone, and worked hard to be a giving member of the New Britain community. As her obituary says, she, “she practiced unexpected acts of generosity and kindness.” As a realtor, obituary adds, she, “helped hundreds of local families achieve their dream of owning a home.”

Her obituary says that she was the, “unofficial mayor of the New Britain Diner.” If you saw her there, it was easy to see the deep well of caring people in the New Britain community had for her. It seemed like she knew and was loved by everyone.

Harriet was deeply kind and gentle and eternally giving. But her gentle manner could never mask her strong progressive political values. Her views were firm and she was not afraid to remind people of what the good path forward was in the community, state and nation.

Her real estate office was, for at least a generation, the nerve center of progressive Democratic politics in New Britain and beyond. She was a hard-working volunteer for causes that mattered, but her leadership went well beyond that.

Harriet was one of the great mentors in New Britain Democratic politics. She did not just work hard – she was always there to offer a sage voice, with steadfast progressive values about what the good thing to do was.

It is impossible to underestimate the vast importance of her leadership as an anchor for progressive Democratic politics.

I am glad to have known Harriet Geragosian, to have learned from her and to have been inspired by her. This world certainly needs more people like her.

Thank you, Harriet.