With a Pall Mall in one hand and a can of Miller Genuine Draft in the other, Thomas Ronald Jasinski-Herbert could often be found up all night at his computer, editing the news magazine he ran for Chicago’s Polish American community.
If he wasn’t working on Polonia Today, “T. Ron” — as he liked to be called — might squeeze in some sleep before a meeting of one of the nearly 20 Polish-American groups he belonged to at one time or another.
Or maybe he was doing a cooking segment, wearing his “Galloping Galompek” apron, for the Polish-American television show he hosted for 15 years.
Or leading a group of American tourists on a trip to Poland. Or listening to polka music at one of the Midwestern festivals dedicated to it.
But as busy as he was being an advocate for the Polish-American community, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert always managed to fit in one more thing if people asked.
“He never said no,” said longtime friend Ted Weicek. “Whatever he was asked to do, whatever he was interested in, he committed to 100 percent, even to the point of being in a leadership role.”
When his infectious, raspy laugh was missing from a recent meeting of the Chicago Society of the Polish National Alliance, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert’s friends called and emailed, asking where he was.
When they got no answer, they called the police, who determined he’d had a heart attack, was taken to a hospital and died Aug. 17, according to his cousin Karen Mackay. He was 76.
T. Ron Jasinski-Herbert.
“He had such great leadership qualities about him,” Mackay said. “He was like everybody’s best friend, that’s how you felt.”
Mr. Jasinski-Herbert was devoted to his mother, Lee, an immigrant from Poland. When she got interested in forming a club for Polish Americans in Chicago, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert jumped on board, Mackey said, connecting with his Polish heritage later in life.
“It turned out they met so many Polish people, there was just a need for that community to get organized,” Mackay said.
From that first club came introductions to many more, and Mr. Jasinski-Herbert — then known as T. Ron Herbert — added his mother’s Polish maiden name Jasinski to his own last name in an effort to show his heritage.
Before long, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert bought the news magazine and added the “Polonia Today” TV show to his media stable. Then a practicing divorce attorney, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert ran both out of his North Side law office for many years.
Capitalizing on his exposure within the city’s Polish community, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert ran as a Democrat for city clerk in 1995.
“He felt he could help more people that way,” Mackay said.
T. Ron Jasinski-Herbert, right in March 2002 at a Northwest Side bar with Rocky Polit, left, a congressional aide, talking about the need for Chicago’s Polish community to have a strong political voice. AP file photo
He won the endorsement of the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board but lost the election to then-Ald. Jim Laski (23rd).
In his later years, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert turned his attentions to polka. He would spend hours in the car traveling to polka festivals and events, friends said.
Charles Komosa, national secretary of the Polish National Alliance, a fraternal benefits organization, remembered Mr. Jasinski-Herbert taking Polish lessons at Komosa’s grandmother’s home when Komosa was young. The two stayed friends for 40 years.
“If you met him, you’d never forget him,” Komosa said.
T. Ron Jasinski-Herbert.
Mr. Jasinski-Herbert twice served as president of the Polish National Alliance’s Chicago chapter and was the group’s national spokesman for 10 years.
He was active in the alliance and many other groups, Komosa said.
Just before his death, Mr. Jasinski-Herbert reached out to Komosa to tell him he wasn’t feeling well enough to make it to the alliance’s national convention.
“He apologized hat he wouldn’t make it to support me,” Komosa said. “He really wanted to be there.
“I can’t underscore his tremendous friendship and integrity. I can’t even tell you the loss I feel.”
Mr. Jasinski-Herbert is survived by his aunt Loretta Sobocinski, uncle Michael Jasinski and many cousins. Services have been held.
