Gary Chassman, founder of Chassman & Bem Booksellers, Burlington, Vt., as well as Verve Editions, died December 8. He was 84. "He had a vivacious spirit, a quick wit, and a deep commitment to his passions," his obituary noted. "Gary was an adventurous traveler, a lover of music, and made literature, art, and photography his life's work."
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Chassman worked at the Brentano's bookstore in the Prudential Center in Boston before moving to Claremont, Calif., to manage the Claremont Colleges bookstore. He was later hired by Aperture, the American photography publishing company, where "he was able to refine his artistic eye and learn about the steps of conceiving and developing book production projects from start to finish."
He later opened Chassman & Bem Booksellers in Burlington, Vt., which for two decades served as a hub for readers, forging relationships with writers, artists, musicians, and community members in the area.
After selling the store, he launched Verve Editions. For more than 25 years, Chassman and collaborating authors, artists, photographers, and designers "conceived of, developed, and produced scores of original and beautifully made books," according to his obituary.
In the Spirit of Martin, a Verve Editions book that included art and writing inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., also inspired a partnership with the Smithsonian traveling art exhibition that toured museums and galleries in the U.S., including the Smithsonian Gallery in Washington, D.C.
A celebration of Chassman's life will be held at 6 p.m. tomorrow, December 19, at the Chabad House, 57 S. Williams St. in Burlington.