During the first weekend of April more than a dozen vehicles, many with out-of-state license plates, parked as near as possible to the corner of Fourth and Vine where Dr. Bob Pastel lived for decades in a big old brick-and-mortar home surrounded by overgrown bushes and a small forest of trees.
How big was Bob’s house? Big enough to house all 13 of the children he raised with his wife, Bea. That’s right, 13 children!
After Bob died April 2, at age 89, the baker’s dozen offspring returned to the village to celebrate his long life. After 68 years of marriage, Bob had been predeceased by Bea in 2007. Her rhubarb pie had achieved legendary status in the neighborhood, and, even after she passed, Bob continued growing rhubarb on his front lawn.
Bob worked as a pediatrician until he was 72 in 1997, but he didn’t exactly slow down.
He was a talented woodturner whose work won a State Fair blue ribbon. As his fruitful yard suggests, he was an ardent naturalist and took courses in fern identification and anthropology at SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry. His hobbies included camping, canoeing, carpentry, painting, travel, wine-making, bird-watching and cross-country skiing.
Bob was a member of the Town of Clay Bridge Club and an active supporter of the Syracuse Peace Council, Boy Scouts of America and antidiscrimination organizations in Syracuse for fair housing and for voting rights.
During his earlier years, Bob used his medical skills to help heal kids around the globe with SS Hope in Tunisia; CARE/MEDICO in Indonesia, Honduras and Peru; Indian Medical Service in New Mexico; and personally in Gambia. Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders (doctorswithoutborders.org) or American Association of Woodturners Program for Youth and Students (woodturner.org).
Tuesday sessions rockin’
Southpaw guitarist Irv Lyons has got a tiger by the tail with a rocking open mike he co-hosts on Tuesday nights at Liverpool’s Limp Lizard Barbecue, 201 First St. He and his friend and co-host, bassist Edgar Pagan, are drawing good weekday audiences to the Limp as well as good musicians such as Oswego rock guitarist Johnny Luber, Skaneateles vocalist Kimberly Rossi and Syracuse jazz guitarist Jason Kessler.
Upcoming open mikes will feature special guests including 805 bandleader Dave Porter on May 12; singer Lisa Romano along with Mrs. NY America, Jessica Lahr, on May 19; and steel guitarist George Newton on May 26; 451-9774.
Gull now open!
The Barking Gull opened for the season on Monday, April 28, at 116 S. Willow St.
The kitchen features an Italian-made brick-lined wood-burning oven which bakes crispy and delicious pizza pies. The Gull also serves burgers, wings, wraps, appetizers and salads, but it’s the wood-fired pizzas that have its patrons all fired up; 457-2780.
Applause for Asmus
Sue Tillotson and Rachel Smorol, both of whom live in Liverpool, still can’t shake off this past winter.
“We’ve got to give kudos to [village DPW Superintendent] Bill Asmus and his crew,” Tillotson said, “for the stupendous job they did plowing the streets and sidewalks this winter.” Smorol thanked Asmus for the extra effort he madce when he plowed her out of her driveway in early-December so she could catch her plane to San Diego to join her husband, Jason, at the 113th annual Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego.
OCD survivor’s memoir
Maggie Simone, the Baldwinsville-based author of a candid memoir titled “Body Punishment” — about her struggle to overcome obsessive-compulsive disorder and alcohol addiction — will meet readers and autograph copies of her book at Barnes & Noble, Route 31, in Clay 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7; maggielamondsimone.com.
Giant in the village!
Keep an eye out for the infamous Cardiff Giant on Saturday, May 9, at the Historical Yard Emporium on the lawn of the Gleason Mansion.
The columnist can be contacted at [email protected].
