John passed away last month age 90 following a short battle with lymphoma, his family have said - just 10 days before his 91st birthday.
His funeral was held on Wednesday (June 6) at the St Sarkis Armenian Church in Kensington, followed by a reception at the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice (CAIA).
Born in Ethiopia, John moved to Cyprus with his parents and brother when the family fled Ottoman persecution. He met partner Gwynneth and relocated to the UK after the pair got married.
He co-founded Sunvil with business partner Noel Josephides in 1970 and was involved with the tour operator right up to his death.
MORE: Sunvil warmly remembers visionary founder Noubar ’John’ der Parthog
His family confirmed John will be laid to rest in Cyprus to be with his parents and brother.
They have also asked well-wishers to donate to the CAIA charity, a cause close to John’s heart after serving as a trustee for several years between the late-1990s and 2003.
Paying tribute to John, the charity said: “His company supported most Armenian causes in the UK by donating travel tickets for charity raffle draws and advertising in newsletters.
“Sunvil were also the first travel agency in the UK which promoted tourism to Armenia, including the fledgling Armenian Airlines, following Armenia’s independence in the early 1990s.
“John was a lovely, jovial, dedicated and hard-working person with a sweet smile - a dear friend to many. John was a lifelong member of the CAIA and served as a trustee.
In an emotional Facebook post on Wednesday, Sunvil made a plea for patience to allow staff, friends and close colleagues to pay their respects to John.
“Spare a fond thought for Sunvil’s founder director John der Parthog who will be laid to rest today.
“We all miss him dearly and we would appreciate your understanding if our calls are answered slower than the norm.
“Many of us have worked for Sunvil for over a decade and will be paying our respects in person. Business will be back to normal tomorrow [Thursday].”
John is survived by his wife, Gwynneth, his two children, Dudley and Judith, and his recently-married granddaughter, Suzanne.
Chris Wright, Sunvil managing director, said following his passing: "John will be much missed by staff, both past and present, and by all those with whom he came into contact."
Josephides added: "I’ve lost not only a friend of 50 years’ standing, but also a long-term business partner, a much-respected influencer and an important sounding board as we developed the business together through good times and bad, including the invasion of Cyprus in 1974."
The CAIA was founded in 1986 to support Armenians living in the UK. It helps people overcome barriers by reducing social exclusion and providing services while also researching, maintaining and celebrating Armenian culture.
You can find out more about John’s family’s fundraising efforts and the CAIA here.
