Beginnings of Gaspard, Inc.
By, Rose Gaspard
September 9, 2021
In the fall of 1980 I started working at Gaspard in the Customer Service department, but for only 1-2 days a week. After a week or so my husband, Robert Gaspard, asked me to work nearly full time. He loaded me up with old catalogs to take home to review so I could get familiar with all the Gaspard products.
After spending about 3 months in customer service Robert asked me to move out into production and learn the process each department did to create a Gaspard vestment or parament. I started out in the cutting department and followed each order throughout the entire process until completion. Having done that for a few weeks, it made me realize the talent, dedication, and the attention to detail our staff had into producing our products. I had a truer sense of appreciation and did not realize what it really took to produce such beautiful items to be used in churches across the country.
Robert and Rose Gaspard circa mid 1980s
The departments I was not able to work in were single needle, embroidery, and assembly. The ladies that worked in these departments had been sewing for many, many, many years and were extremely skilled. The extent of my sewing abilities were being able to mend a sock or replace a button. I ended up staying in the stencil and applique department for about a year before returning to customer service. I was also shown the accounting aspects of the company in which at that time most accounting was done by hand. We did have a computer at the time, but it would only generate simple statements to send to customers. Things were certainly different back then! It is truly amazing how Gaspard has progressed since I have worked there.
Rose at a trade show circa 1990s
After the passing of my husband, Robert, in 1991 I became President for the Robert Gaspard Company. I oversaw all the operations of Gaspard until my retirement in 2004. I learned to enjoy my work and I hated to leave, but at the age of 71 I decided it was time to pass the torch to my son Jason, who had already been working there for 8 years. Today, my son Jason continues to run gaspard successfully and I could not be prouder to see my husband's legacy continue to flourish!
Jason & Rose at Rose's retirement party in 2004
I have far too many memories to mention while working with my husband and the employees of the Robert Gaspard Company. But one thing for sure, I could never come back and oversee the operations of Gaspard, Inc. Times have certainly changed with all the technology advances and techniques my son has done to continue my husband’s legacy is too sophisticated for me.
