Gregory Steven Vasich
I am writing today to present some of the thoughts and feelings of many people who shared Greg Vasich’s life, and to celebrate the love, exuberance and meaning he brought to ours. We loved him for the man he was and the man he was becoming; an exemplar of so many wonderful qualities. We know how rare those qualities are- to be principled without alienating others with your righteousness, to find meaning in life and to find personal fulfillment, to be truly happy and yet see the world as it is through clear eyes. We have been touched in so many ways.
Greg inspired us with his sheer intelligence but also with his well-roundedness. A brilliant person with so many interests and talents, Greg was our sports machine, our favorite trombonist, our enthused marching Illini, our movie expert, our math savant, our trivia master, our poker champ and our informed, justice-minded citizen, stretching time to find ways to be in touch with so many aspects of the world at once. In college, when he made the switch from studying engineering to studying English, we were reminded of what a rare mind we had among us, talented in so many disparate areas and possessing abilities not usually found together in the same gifted person. His abilities were matched by his kindness, his character, his gentleness, and
punctuated by the vigorous way he lived his life.
The joy Greg found in life was contagious, and that joyful essence made him the best friend anyone could hope to have. He valued most his time with people; he hated sleeping. Ideally, Greg would want to stay up all night talking, watching movies, playing games and having spirited discussions with those closest to him, trying to squeeze the most out of every minute until he could no longer keep his eyes open. He could find the magic in the mundane; situations involving Greg always had grand adventure potential. He was up for anything, anytime, as long as it involved the people he cared about, and we his friends were always eager to be there with him. He could be silly, goofy, very frequently an irresistible flurry of arms and legs rocking out in a disjointed rhythm that made everyone laugh and join in shamelessly. Just to see Greg, smiling in his shorts and bare feet, with his car keys in hand and the glimmer of a vague plan for excitement in his wide eyes was enough to make anyone want to come along for the ride. He was the best convincer.
He made us laugh and also laugh at ourselves. He was funny- his favorite jokes being utterly silly ones, gleefully and proudly delivered, but with a sly warm wit that betrayed his true intelligence. Greg told jokes and stories that got us to laugh even after hearing them for years. Selfishly, I will miss Greg for possessing a sense of humor that helped anyone feel like the cleverest person in the room. He brought out the best in people- helping them feel the most confidence, the most good humor, and the most warmth and spontaneity. And he always laughed, always- usually clapping his hands a few times for emphasis.
He also inspired us all to be better people. He was never judgmental, and never made us feel bad for our mistakes. He knew how to listen, intently and genuinely, helping us through our own hard times as a true confederate, feats which he accomplished in an uncontrived natural way. He challenged us with his goodness; he was a moral giant but could keep quiet about it. The startling lack of pretense Greg presented to the world set the bar higher for us all and helped us see what truly good people could be. He changed us, he has shaped who we are, and has altered our paths for the better.
We know how all of this goodness began, because of utmost importance for Greg was his family. His friends can only leaf through the family photo albums having heard the family lore and wonder what kind of amazing child Greg must have been. Surely the joy that we saw in the present found its bearings in that happy, loving childhood. We know that Greg loved his family more than anything, and we his friends were privy to so many wonderful recollections about his times in Minocqua, Milwaukee or on epic family summer vacations. He told us about wonderfully crazy weekends when his whole family would congregate to celebrate birthdays or holidays and everyone would stay together- Greg’s beloved grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles- talking, eating, playing games, playing Frisbee, playing poker, and telling stories. We know how much he cherished those times.
And in turn, his friends never felt like they were just going over to Greg’s house- we were always going to the Vasich house, and Mr. and Mrs. Vasich, Greg, Mike, Chris and Paul always made everyone feel so welcome and comfortable. The Vasich home is a place of real love. I wish I’d had a brother like Greg, and it was clear just what a great family member he was. He thought his brothers were all so brilliant, quick, and talented, much more so than his own humility would allow him to think of himself. He admired Mike, Chris and Paul all for their intelligence, creativity, sensitivity and individual talents. And we saw what happened when these geniuses came together- invented games like “bumper-people”, “trampoline dodgeball”, long summer vacations filled with slurpees and movie marathons, and house rules where the winner of a game has to clean up because the loser is usually too mad. But always in an atmosphere of acceptance, trust and understanding and most importantly, love. Greg looked to his parents as a model for what marriage should be like and the love they share d naturally informed the love that Greg and Jenny shared.
Greg and Jenny, on the horizon of an incredible future, shared an incredible past and a love-saturated present. Being with them, in all of their tenderness and understanding helped us remember what true love looks like at its inception and the promise that it holds for genuine happiness. When Greg and Jenny matched strides, goodness met goodness, wit met wit, and that love was real. We are thankful for every day that we were witnesses to this sort of love on earth, a truly sacred devotion.
Finally, I want to affirm that Greg found God’s presence in life all around him, interwoven in the fabric of time and space and more importantly in the ways that people help one another. Greg lived his life in the presence of God and as a testament to God’s will and love. He had plans to go to law school, or graduate school for English, or to be a teacher, or to work on a political campaign. He would have loved to work as a film critic or open a video store, and certainly to simply be with Jenny exploring their new hometown in Minnesota. One thing is certain; he would have wanted to engage in a lifelong endeavor that would have played a role in the betterment of humanity. He was looking forward to traveling in Europe just like his Dad did after college, with Jenny and his brother Mike. Anything Greg became would have done justice to the dreams his parents had for him, and he would have done it in a way that was uniquely him, with compassion and enthusiasm, making a contribution to the world around him.
It is not enough to say that he will be missed. There is now a hole, emptiness and heartbreak in our lives that we will carry with us. But we will do what we can, as he would want. We can carry the meaning of Greg’s life into every part of our own as a tribute to the man that he was, and to love each other with a new fierceness. We can and will remember him now and always.
With Much Love From Greg’s Friends
Anna Gomberg
4.14.04