Owner of longtime Church Street bookstore built a town hub for readers It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Gary. He had a vivacious spirit, a quick wit and a deep commitment to his passions. Gary was an adventurous traveler and a lover of music, and he made literature, art and photography his life’s work. Though he was born in New York, where he lived for most of his childhood and where he attended the Walden School for high school, he has lived in Massachusetts, Connecticut and California. Gary worked at Brentano’s bookstore in the Prudential Center in Boston and then moved to Claremont, Calif., to become the manager of the Claremont Colleges bookstore. He was later hired by Aperture, the premier American photography publishing company. Here, he was able to refine his artistic eye and learn the steps of conceiving and developing book production projects from start to finish. In Burlington, Vt., Gary opened Chassman & Bem Booksellers, a staple on Church Street for two decades. Here, he built a town hub for readers, forging relationships with many writers, artists, musicians and community members in the greater Burlington area. He saw the store as a place where he could showcase the printed word. Gary was also a member of the Friends of Indian Music and Dance and participated in bringing Indian music to Burlington. After selling the store, Gary opened Verve Editions. Over 25 years, Gary and collaborating authors, artists, photographers and designers conceived of, developed and produced scores of original and beautifully made books. In the Spirit of Martin, which Gary conceived of and developed, included art and writing inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. that speaks to the power of art to shape collective national memory. The book explored the inspiring life and enduring legacy of MLK Jr. and launched 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. We are so incredibly proud of the work that he did and of the beautiful projects that he contributed to the world. Gary is survived by his loving wife, Deborah Boothby; his children Jenn and Josh; his brother, Neil; his nieces, Keira, Dierdre and Molly; as well as his granddaughters, Elise and Paige. He is predeceased by his daughter Karyn and his parents, Harry and Molly. He will be deeply missed by his family and by the Burlington community. A celebration…