TOMS RIVER – Funeral services have been announced for an Ocean County doctor, his daughter and his 2-year-old granddaughter, who all died together in a plane crash in upstate New York.
Visitation for Dr. Gabriele Jasper, Gabriella Hillgrube and Giuliana Hillgrube will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 23, at Silverton Memorial Funeral Home, 2482 Church Road, Toms River.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 24, at St. Luke Roman Catholic Church.
Jasper, 70, of Toms River, was remembered in his obituary as a pioneering physician, devoted family man and adventurous spirit who dedicated his career to helping people suffering from chronic pain.
He founded the Jasper Spine Institute in Brick Township in 2002 and treated thousands of patients during his career. A specialist in anesthesiology and a diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine, Jasper became internationally known for his work in minimally invasive interventional pain treatment and endoscopic spine procedures.
He trained physicians and neurosurgeons at universities in the United States and around the world, published articles on endoscopic discectomy and spinal procedures and regularly served as a speaker and instructor in minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.
In 2015, Jasper received the Parviz Kambin Award in Mainz, Germany. The honor is considered one of the most prestigious awards in endoscopic spine surgery, and Jasper was the first interventional pain physician to receive it, according to his obituary.
Jasper held medical licenses in New Jersey, New York and Florida and belonged to several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and New Jersey Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
His obituary described him as a source of “love, strength, healing, hope and care” who worked tirelessly to make patients feel safe and comfortable. He was known for talking and joking with nervous patients before procedures to help put them at ease.
Outside medicine, Jasper enjoyed flying, boating, farming and racing cars. His family affectionately called him “Peter Pan” and “Batman” because of his wide range of interests and his determination to master anything he attempted.
Jasper was a licensed pilot with approximately 35 years of flying experience, according to the obituary.
He is survived by his son, Philip; son-in-law, Tyler Hillgrube; grandson, Gabriel James, known as GJ; and the mother of his children, Michele Jasper. He is also survived by his sisters, extended family members, nieces, nephews and members of the Jasper Spine Institute staff.
The Jasper Spine Institute issued a statement thanking the community for the outpouring of prayers and support following the deaths.
“Your kindness has been a source of comfort during this unimaginable time,” the statement said. “Although our hearts are heavy, your compassion has been a beacon of light in the darkness, and we are truly grateful.”
The office said Philip Jasper and the institute’s staff are working to continue the level of care established by his father.
“Our patients have always been more than patients – you have become family,” the statement said. “Dr. Jasper’s greatest priority was always your well-being, and we remain dedicated to carrying that mission forward with the same compassion, excellence and commitment that he instilled in all of us.”
In lieu of flowers, the obituary asks that donations be made through an online fundraiser established to assist the family.
Jasper, his 33-year-old daughter and his granddaughter died July 13 when the small plane he was piloting crashed shortly after departing Adirondack Regional Airport in Saranac Lake, New York.
New York State Police said the 1976 Piper Aerostar took off at approximately 10:36 p.m. and climbed to an estimated altitude of 100 feet before communication was lost.
Troopers later found the wreckage burning in a wooded area near Route 186 and Hearf’s Way in the town of Harrietstown. All three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.
