Sona Rosette Kitabjian

Sona Rosette Kitabjian passed away in her bed on November 21st, 2024, five days before her 59th birthday, due to a gradual decline in her kidney function. 

Sona was the much-beloved daughter and first-born child of Hagop Artin Kitabjian and Pamela Joyce Zartarian, who pre-deceased her. She was the eldest grand-child of Paul and Zabelle Zartarian, and the eldest great-grandchild of Vram and Aznive Nedurian. 

Born in Philadelphia on November 26th, 1965, Sona grew up in Broomall, PA, graduated from the Armenian Sisters Academy and Marple Newtown High School, and received a Communications degree from West Chester University. 

While much of her adult life was crippled by various health issues, Sona never lost touch with her core passions, which centered around her family, her friends, her faith, and as we all know… her music. Sona was a skilled and accomplished pianist and singer-songwriter. She was the consummate fan of various pop musicians, and internalized their song-writing styles, enabling her to write dozens of her own works with lush chord movements and melody lines, and lyrics to match. Even when she was broke, she always had a keyboard on which she made music that kept her going.

While her health was failing over the past year, almost as though she knew her time was short, Sona’s faith, relationships, songwriting, and life mission as a whole blossomed to an all time high. Her songs began to appear on Spotify and her Podcast “Sona Speaks” began hitting the radio waves. Likewise, she reached out to show a fresh display of love and support to everyone she knew. In fact, in her home, we found over a dozen wrapped and unwrapped Christmas gifts for specific friends and family. And she continued to thank God for all his blessings.

Sona leaves behind her brothers David and Paul, their wives and children, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. A Celebration of Life is planned for January 11th, 2025. Anyone wishing to attend is encouraged to email David at dave@kitabjian.com for details.

In lieu of flowers, Sona would have loved for you to make donations (or purchases!) to Azizi Life, an amazing fair-trade venture co-founded by our cousin Christi Whitekettle over 15 years ago in Rwanda, where she lives. The sale of their gorgeous products helps provide for the physical and spiritual well-being of rural Rwandans, and therefore a more beautiful world.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sona Rosette Kitabjian, please visit our floral store.