Jim Gasparin

The Story of Jim by Liz Kohan

"Jim Gasparin was a man with a dream. When I first met him, his dream was to graft pot plants to tomato plants. His practical purpose was to get a spaghetti sauce he could eat and get high. Jim had vision. He had style and panache. Jim was a Unicorn..."

Jim Gasparin

Jim seemed like a hippie troubadour back in the 70’s. His bible was the Mother Earth News, The Poor Man’s James Bond, and Mr. Natural was a guru. Jim was already a father though still raising himself as a young man. Jim’s relationship with Jeremiah’s mom, Diane, didn’t last, but Miah was so important to him. Jim often talked of Jeremiah with pride and so much love. Jeremiah did his very best to care for his Dad when he was ill. Jim was not an easy patient. He died as he lived, completely his way. I would like to share some of my memories of Jim and knowledge of his Life. I knew Jim for 45 years - now keeping his stories alive, just a few stories.

Early Age

From his earliest age, Jim was a cook. He started work at age 13 or 14, at Sapputo’s Italian, washing dishes and helping Mama Sapputo with sauces. He also took to running harmless errands for the little bit of mafia in town which gave him an early maturity. They took a liking to him there because he was Italian, worked hard, and he didn’t have a father. Jim’s Dad died young, and his Mom worked very hard to provide for him. Jim learned to cook so he could eat a home cooked meal. He was a latchkey kid before it had a name. It was a rough start with bumps along the way. Jim was creative about making the best of situations.

St. James Trade School was the next formative chapter in his life. I am not sure when Jim got his first monicker, Big Jim, but it was likely at SJTS. One of Jim’s favorite stories was about how he hung a bullying priest out a second floor window by his ankles. I don’t think anything happened to him at the Catholic school, but he couldn’t take when something happened to the defenseless. As previously noted, Jim had a highly developed sense of justice and compassion. The big man graduated from St. James, and with his long hair, he was obviously was a Dude already.

Farmer Jim

I met Jim when he lived on the old family farm out in Riverton. It was near the Sangamon river and a perfect location for Mr Greenjeans. Another claimed name of his, Jim liked calling himself Mr Greenjeans because he was homesteading. Jim started his excellent and extensive gardens at the farm. Gardens, goats, rabbits, dogs, cats, and experimentation were the happenings. Women, stray humans, hobos, artists, and others passed time at the farm. You could visit the ravine of abandoned appliances, or stop by the walnut grove where a few VW buses decayed gracefully. You could fish at the river and be assured of a healthy, home cooked meal of whatever was at hand when you got back. You were always accepted as you were out there. Jim was always tinkering with something, reading something that sparked ideas to try out. If you had an idea and wanted to try it out, Jim’s farm was the place. The farm was also where Jim began writing. One of his first short stories was about a bag of stray kittens and decisions. None of those things paid the rent, so Jim found his way to the next big adventure.

Theater

The Growth Stock Company was a live theatre in downtown Springfield in the late 70’s. It was also know as the Theatre of the Unemployed. Still one of the best government projects ever known. Guy Romans, an eccentric French theater director, started a CETA project to bring art to the Springfield masses. Jim and I were unemployed and very inclined to dig this crazy scene. We met there and became instant friends. Ta-da! The time was a whirl of color, everything theater, outrageousness, costumes, Fun, validation, beef sandwiches and beers at the Sazerac, the pub around the corner. Mr. Sazerac would float you a tab till pay day! We were young and full of It. Over the next few years, Jim became a best friend - he remained it all my life.

Acting Career

Also in the late 70’s, Jim got a bit part in a movie shot at New Salem, “The Awakening Land” with Elizabeth Montgomery. He was completely turned onto acting. Then came the pratfalls and pitfalls of working in the traveling wild west show troupe, Saddle Tramp Gap. So many good times, so many good stories. Jim was either the villain or the town near-do-well. I was the daughter-schoolmarm or the saloon girl for a while. Jim traveled the Midwest and as far as Texas during his time with the Gap. Through the Gap, Jim met another lifelong friend in Bill Panichi. Another larger than life Italian; Bill was into everything. They collected each other like a story shared and kept in the heart.

Med School Actors

In the early 80’s, I met the love of my life, Mark Vasconcelles. Jim and I and good friend Nancy Ranyard were acting for Southern Il University Med School. We were actors and part of a new type of teaching called Problem Based Learning. It was exciting and different. We were the circus act in the med school. When I met Mark it was like I had been expecting him all my life. Someone so important had to meet Jim and Bill. I took Mark to a memorable audition with the Positively 5th Street Players comedy group. Our troupe played coffee houses, beer and wine bars as well as minimum, medium, and one maximum security penitentiaries. The max was in Marion, IL and held John Wayne Gacy at the time.

Foreshadowing? Mark Vasconcelles was murdered by a psychokiller in 1985, and Mark’s killer later spent time at that same prison. Jim stood by my side for decades in court. After I could no longer attend due to my mental health, Jim and Bill kept going: for Mark, for me, and the safety of Springfield. Finally, Jim could no longer do it either.

Themes of Jim's Life

Can you see the themes of Jim’s life emerge? Chapters keep emerging as I write. Cook, master gardener, actor, comedian, writer, theater director, the computer dude who saves your ass, blues singer, musician, builder of cigar box guitars, beat boxes, and electric cigar box guitars, Jim was a renaissance man. He also gave back those who served our country through his volunteer work with the American Legion because he thought it was the right thing to do.

Jim was a super-taster, and he was chef at No Baloney restaurant. It was Springfield’s first restaurant with healthy, vegetarian options. Jim mastered cooking for large groups, running his own show, and inventing the breakfast horseshoe. Yes, Jim invented the breakfast shoe! The importance of this cannot be overstated. All through these times there was cooking, theater, writing, television repair, gardening, tinkering and building early computers. Jim created strong community connections. He went through marriages and divorces with children born and raised. Diane, Geraldine & Loretta were wives. Kids Jeremiah and Emily entered the scene. It’s all a whoosh of time flying faster & faster.

Avrom Systems

One can’t talk about Jim’s life without mentioning Harvey Koplo and Avrom. Jim went to work for Harv at his computer company, supporting computer systems at chiropractic offices. Jim learned everything he could from Harv and just kept learning. This was another theme in Jim’s life. Curiosity and teaching himself about whatever struck his fancy. Jim utilized his resources and learned how to build computers -everything about them from programming to tech support. He handled rattled luddites over the phone with his soothing voice and no problemo manner ("Hey Darlin' - let me help ya"). He always was a cunning linguist. Harv’s partner Annette could not quite get her arms around Big Jim to give a hug, but Jim could make up for it with the best bear hugs and back adjustments. Jim was the best at both.

Sangamon County Sheriff

Through his self taught no degree computer skills, Jim was employed with the county for 24 years. He ran the whole system for the Sangamon County Sheriff's Dept. with great pride. He worked hard to make himself indispensable. There came a cost for that approach. Jim rarely had enough help. He was so competent, perhaps they didn’t realize it. There was also a cost to working in the jail. Jim was a big, tough guy with a big heart. He saw a great deal at the jail. He experienced much there and developed PTSD because of it.

Author

Writing was a saving grace through this time. His friendship with his niece, Alaina, grew into a fabulous collaboration on many levels. Writing, cooking and gardening tied them together with tons of fun over the years like two peas in a pod. Alaina’s daughter Lydia became a second daughter to Jim. Alaina was and is a stalwart in Jim’s life. Together, they made the best sauces, zucchini relish, beer, wine, and feasts. They also co-authored two novels of a nearly completed trilogy called, The Saga of the Wolf from Storytellers Publishing. Alaina was his special friend, niece, co-author, and right hand. Alaina loved him and cared for him with all her heart.

Minister Jim

Jim became a minister with the Universal Church of Life of Mendocino, CA so he could at officiate at my wedding in the 90’s! This opened yet another important chapter in Jim’s life. He started doing weddings, funerals & christenings.

Renaissance Man

There still many stories, and none of us got enough time with him. We all hoped there would be more. So with that in mind, if you have a story about Jim Gasparin, send it to Harv@AvromSystems.com so he can put it up for others to read. I am sure you will have good ones. - Liz Kohan

Page updated

Report abuse