- Date Of Birth: June 27, 1951
- Date Of Death: September 18, 2020
- State: Michigan
Gaspare Scavone was born on June 27, 1951 in Alcamo, Sicily, Italy to Giacomo and Rosaria (Matranga) Scavone. Gaspare’s hard work ethic and playful spirit started off at a young age and became the foundation of how he will always be remembered. He enjoyed playing various childhood games with his older cousins and even started working at a very young age. He was hired over his friends as a strawberry picker, due to the fact that he was the only one who did not like to eat the strawberries. Throughout his youth, he worked various jobs and learned several trades and skills. As soon as he was 18, he joined the military.
A few years later, Gaspare Scavone met Bina through his cousin Gaspare Matranga’s wife Enza (Enza was Bina’s sister). They only spent a few days together before the two became inseparable. After marrying on April 16, 1977 in Sicily, Gaspare and Bina truly discovered that they could have everything in life. The couple left Sicily to start a new home in the US in 1977. When the newlyweds first moved to the United States, they lived in the Vicksburg area in order to be close to Gaspare and Enza Matranga. Soon after, the Scavones moved to Grand Rapids where they had the opportunity to open a pizzeria. While in Grand Rapids, the Scavone family grew to include a son Giacomo “Jimmy” born on November 3, 1978.
Soon after, the Scavones moved their lives and their business back to the Kalamazoo area, where they started another pizzeria on Burdick Street called Scavone’s Pizza. On January 1, 1983, Gaspare and Bina gave birth to their second child, Rosaria who was born in Kalamazoo. Later that year, they acquired another pizzeria in Vicksburg called Jaspare’s Pizza. For awhile Gaspare and Bina ran both of the shops, but not willing to be separated for even a while, they sold their shop in Kalamazoo so they could spend all of their time together running the shop in Vicksburg. The children would soon grow to help in the family business. Gaspare was always dedicated and a hard worker. He was well-respected by all of the employees who worked for him throughout the years at the pizzeria and by those in the Vicksburg community. Gaspare knew most of the customers by name (or their voice as soon as they called to place their order) and would always ask about how their family was doing. When someone placed a delivery order, Gaspare could even describe the exact location or the color of the house to the delivery drivers. Many customers and former employees ended up becoming personal friends as they developed long lasting relationships for years to come. Together, the family worked hard, and Gaspare cherished every moment he was able to spend with his family. To Gaspare, his wife and his children were everything he needed in life.
Even as the children and extended family grew, the family still got together every Sunday and each holiday, rotating between homes. Gaspare loved this time with his family, and he could always be counted on to make his famous bread and help in any way he could. Gaspare’s arrival of his tray of delicious bread would bring excitement to the family, and he was just as excited to share it with others. The bread was not only simple and delicious, but it was a reflection of his soul and how much he enjoyed feeding others through his passion of cooking. Gaspare enjoyed the company of his family and any opportunity to get together with loved ones. As soon as dinner was finished, they would always play cards as a group. This was a family tradition that brought everyone close together and made Gaspare very happy. During the beautiful Michigan summer months, he also loved playing Bocce Ball as well as boat rides, jet-skiing and swimming. The Scavones built their dream house on Austin Lake in 1992, where they shared many wonderful times with family members who also lived on the lake.
Gaspare and Bina shared all of their decisions and time together. On January 24, 2004, Bina lost her 11 month battle to Pancreatic Cancer. Devastated at the loss of his first love and his business partner, Gaspare sold Jaspare’s Pizza in 2005. This gave him the opportunity to grieve his loss and travel back to Sicily to visit his family and friends whom he hadn’t seen in several years.
During the summer of 2006, Gaspare met Alla Aleksa, who was on vacation from Russia with her son Maxim. They enjoyed spending time together that summer and soon developed serious feelings for one another. After their vacations were over and it was time for each of them to go back home, Gaspare and Alla made sure to keep in touch. Soon after, Gaspare visited Alla in St. Petersburg, Russia. On July 20, 2007 Gaspare and Alla got married in Alcamo, Sicily. He did everything he could to help and support Alla and Maxim as they integrated their lives in the United States. For them, learning the culture and two new languages (not only English, but Italian) was a lot easier because they had Gaspare’s love and support. He had such a passion for the business he had created that he continued working at Jaspare’s even after his retirement. When Gaspare suddenly got sick in August of 2019, Alla did everything she could to return that love and support as she spent the final year of his life ensuring everything possible could be done in the hopes of having him healthy again. Gaspare was so strong throughout the past year of his life and held on for as long as he could, but on September 18, 2020, he lost his battle to a serious disease.
Gaspare was known by many as a hardworking, generous and helpful man. He was always ready to support his children, relatives, friends and neighbors whenever they needed it. Through helping others, Gaspare became recharged and you could see how he was lit up by his smile and positive energy. Gaspare created and lived a well-deserved life through the undying love of his family and an on-going legacy of his business. He was a devoted husband with an unconditional love of his children Giacomo and Rosaria and stepson Maxim.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Bina Scavone.
He is survived by his wife, Alla Aleksa; children, Rosaria and Giacomo Scavone; step-son, Maxim Aleksa; sisters, Vincenza (Mario Mule) Scavone and Carmela (Sebastiano Campisi) Scavone; as well as the rest of his extended family.
