JOE VECCHIO - IN MEMORIAM

Joe Vecchio - “Don’t sing ‘em a shitty song.”

40 years ago I worked at the Lake Bluff Healthcare Center as an “Activities Director.”  At that time I was preparing to apply for my Master’s in Social Work and they’d told me it would be best if I had more “social work” experience under my belt. So I found this job.  It involved me working almost entirely with seniors, to many of whom I got quite close in the year I was there.

The one who was most intriguing to me was this shy fellow who wore dungarees each day, who didn’t talk very often, just walked around the facility most of the day, sitting occasionally and then resuming his rounds.

I learned he was “Joe Vecchio.”

I sat next to Joe  numerous times and he didn’t say a word unless spoken to and it was likely to be just a “hello” and nod in my direction.

He did drop in occasionally to our Activities room and with watercolors did some remarkable eccentric paintings that to my mind were among some of the best “folk art” I’ve ever seen.

After some weeks of seeing Joe walking around, painting occasionally, and otherwise being a kind of wandering ambassador of silence and mystery, we began to have some conversations.  It turned out he really appreciated the knowledge he had acquired from reading the “Farmers’ Almanac” over the years.  He would look straight forward and reflect on their predictions, usually of the weather. 

“Yep, Farmers’ Almanac says snow’s comin’ this year, lots of snow this year, uh huh.”

One day he began talking about how the crops needed to grow and what one needed to do to help them.

He said, “Yep, the crops need our help to grow.  The fruits and vegetables need us to pay attention to ‘em.”

So I asked, “Joe, how do we help the crops to grow?”

He said, “You got to sing them a little song. And it has to be a good song.”

Pausing…

“Not a shitty song.  They won’t grow if you sing ‘em a shitty song.”

So I have tried even more after him to sing some non-shitty songs – otherwise somethings might not grow!  And today I am singing the song and the praises of Joe Vecchio, a mysterious, talented aficianado of paints, plants and the Farmers’ Almanac - himself an as yet unsung purveyor of some mighty good image-melodies and memories.

I have just one painting he did – ‘wish I had kept more.  But here you are – a patriotic holiday time evocation by Joe Vecchio. 

WINTER

SILVER BELLS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

1980-81

Thank you, Joe.