Gasper Michael DeGeorge

Gasper Michael DeGeorge, third generation Houstonian, passed away on Wednesday, the 25th of February 2015, peacefully at his home with his daughters at his side. He was born on the 13th of July 1930, to the late Gasper Michael DeGeorge, Sr. and Josephine Pinto DeGeorge Lamantia.

Gasper attended St. Anne’s Catholic School and St. Thomas High School, in Houston. He had a long diversified career. As a very young man in the early 50’s he owned the first private nightclub in Houston and the Marquis Lounge in the historic West Gray shopping center. He maintained his Texas Real Estate Broker License for over 60 years and was honored in 2005 as holding one of the oldest licenses in the State of Texas. After his marriage and subsequent fatherhood a career shift was made to follow in his father’s footsteps as a visionary and developer of residential and commercial properties. As an award winning residential builder, he notably developed Mangum Manor and Mangum Plaza. Additionally he developed and built many office buildings, apartment complexes and churches in the Houston and Dallas areas. In the 1970’s he continued custom home building in West and North Houston.

In 1975 following another passion he opened Gaspair’s Restaurant on San Felipe in the River Oaks area. He welcomed many old friends and made many new friends serving gourmet continental cuisine and providing a lively atmosphere. Because of his love of food and his own passion for cooking, many of the recipes at Gaspair’s were of his own creation. Always being surrounded by family and friends; never meeting a stranger seemed to be a pattern in Gasper’s life.

In 1977, to his joy, he became a cherished grandfather and mentor to his only grandchild, John 3, Cynthia’s son. John 3’s life was greatly influenced by his treasured “Paw-Paw”; they were 2 peas in a pod. He encouraged John to be strong and courageous during life’s trials and to always enjoy life!

In the early 80’s after the loss of his mother and closing the restaurant he moved to the farm in Chappell Hill, Texas and resided there for the next 16 years. He continued in his real estate business, raised race horses, had farm animals and enjoyed country life.

In 1996, returning to Houston he and his brother Jim enjoyed discovering new restaurants and visiting local haunts, creating many, many wonderful stories and memories for both. Gasper made regular trips to see his older daughter; Sharon through all her many moves to Hawaii, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida. His brother Jim and he traveled to California and Italy numerous times creating more funny stories and magical memories. In 2003, Gasper took his brother, Jim and daughters Sharon and Cynthia to Italy to show the girls their ancestry.

Throughout Gasper’s life he enjoyed hunting, fishing, cooking, watching football, boating and was an avid collector. He had a passion for dogs owning many cherished poodles. Gasper was a life-member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where he sponsored/participated in many chili and barbecue cook-offs. Gasper was a founding member of Amici della Viete wine society founded by his brother, Jim an Italian wine connoisseur. In later years, Gasper spent countless hours watching westerns, old movies, history documentaries and biographies.

Gasper is survived by his daughters and their husbands, Sharon DeGeorge Dawson (Gary) and Cynthia DeGeorge Muncie (Alex) and his only grandson, John Henry MacCurdy, III. His brother, James B. DeGeorge, his nephews, James B. DeGeorge, Jr. (Jane), Gregory A. DeGeorge (Becky), Lance C. DeGeorge, Sam J. Lucas, III (Melanie), Lynn K. DeGeorge (Jamie), and niece, Gayle DeGeorge. Other survivors include numerous grandnieces, grandnephews and his beloved grand-dogs, Sydney and Mindy, his only grand-cat, Ernie, and great-grand-dog, Velveeta.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Michael J. DeGeorge, his sister Ursula DeGeorge Simpson, his sister Carmalee DeGeorge, his niece, Sandra Lucas Malone, his sister-in-law, Bernice DeGeorge, his nephew, Michael Wayne DeGeorge

Sharon and Cynthia wish to acknowledge and with great appreciation credit the outstanding care and treatment during the last 14 years to the talent and incredible intellect of Dr. James T. Willerson, with the Texas Heart Institute.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 2nd of March, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A funeral service is to be conducted at half-past twelve o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 3rd of March, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, where the Rev. Monsignor Frank H. Rossi, Pastor of St. Michael Catholic Church is to officiate.

Entombment will follow, via an escorted cortege, in the DeGeorge Family Mausoleum at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in memory of Mr. DeGeorge may be directed to the Texas Heart Institute, MC 3-116, P.O. Box 20345, Houston, TX, 77225 in grateful appreciation for the dedicated care provided for many years by Dr. James Willerson.