Katya Poghosyan

Katya Poghosyan, age 94, of Dayton, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, surrounded by love.

Katya was born on January 28, 1931, in Yerevan, Armenia. From an early age, she carried a deep sense of compassion, resilience, and devotion that would define her extraordinary life.

Katya earned her medical degree from Yerevan State Medical University and dedicated her career to serving as a neonatologist, caring for countless newborns with exceptional skill, gentleness, and unwavering compassion, for over thirty years. Medicine was not just her profession; it was her calling.

Beyond her medical career, Katya was a woman of many talents and passions. She was an amazing cook whose meals brought people together, a gifted gardener who found joy in nurturing life, a gracious hostess who made everyone feel welcome, and a talented seamstress whose creativity and care were evident in everything she touched. She was a gymnast from a young age and served as an example with her dedication to wellness and positivity. Her generosity knew no bounds, and her home was always filled with warmth, blessings, laughter, and love.

Above all, Katya was deeply loving and devoted to her family. She was caring, endlessly positive, and selfless; always putting others before herself. She shared a beautiful and enduring love with her husband, Karlen Kocharyan, the love of her life, whom she now joins in eternal rest.

Katya is survived by her beloved sons Armen (Marina) Kocharian and Richard (Sabina) Kocharian; her cherished grandchildren Anna (Narek), Mariam (David), Anna (Peter), and Gary (Katie); and her precious great-granddaughters Nina and Remi, born in December 2025, fulfilling one of her greatest dreams before her passing.

Katya’s life was a testament to love, service, grace, and quiet strength. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, kindness, and devotion that will live on through the many lives she touched as a physician, a matriarch, and a remarkable woman. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate and highly professional staff at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park for their care and support.

Private family service will be held.

A public church service to be announced at a later date at Saint Sahag Armenian Church in Saint Paul, MN.