What is it about the holiday season? Steven Auerbach, Jack O’Connell, Richard Scalo and now Joe Kasper, all whom placed their respective signatures on Bridgeport, gone in a week’s time.
Joseph T. Kasper Jr. who led an architectural/engineering company for decades on Fairfield Avenue and served as Barnum Festival Ringmaster in 1989, passed away on Dec. 18, according to the Redgate-Hennessy Funeral Directors. He was 90 years old.
Visitation will take place December 28, 4 to 8 p.m. at Redgate – Hennessy Funeral Directors
4 Gorham Place, Trumbull.
Kasper was an integral part of the business and political community, circa 1970s-2000, whose work included schools, colleges, sports destinations and infrastructure projects. He was also a client back in the day.
He was a member of the renowned Brooklawn Country Club where the legendary Bridgeport golfer Gene Sarazen toiled for many years prior to his world-stage fame, one of only a handful of golfers in history to win all four major championships.
One day, around 1993, I get a call from Kasper.
“Come to Brooklawn, let’s play a round.”
“I don’t know how to play golf,” I responded.
“So, what, I’m not any good.”
I show up in jeans and a tee shirt. He says, that’s no good, not up to fashion standards.
So Kasper outfits me with the proper golfing attire, you know, the slacks and collared shirt. He rents a set of clubs for me. He brings me out to the first tee. I haven’t a clue: it’s like swatting a fly, except there’s no flies. More like digging for worms.
He took pity on me and said forget the tee box, let’s drop a ball on the fairway and figure out the rest.
What a disaster, for 18 holes. We sojourned to the Brooklawn bar for better company.
But I was bitten by the golf bug.
RIP Joseph T. Kasper Jr.
From digging for worms with a golf club to reporting on the can of worms opened by John Gomes. Sounds like you’re coming full circle Lennie.
I met Joseph Kasper during the design and construction of the Blue Fish Stadium in the period (1995-2001) I served as City Councilman in the 131 st. District. When I was young, the office sign of Kasper Ingeneering always atteacted my attention. What’s engineering I would wonder? I once walked in to ask questions and they showed me around the place. Engineering is a broad field. Many engineers are problem solvers, one doesn’t have to have such title to solve problems. Soon, I should be getting official notification from the USPTO on my first Patent. The title of Inventor is one many engineers never achieve. That little attention given to me at Kasper Engineering, went a long way. RIP.
Lennie
I met Joe when I was president of the Bridgeport city council 1981-85 Joe offered me a job on putting bid packages together. He had an office on East Washington Ave over in the hollow section not far from park Ave. He was a giant of a man. Lennie yes we have lost some great Bridgeporter may they all Rest in Peace 🪦