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Victor Richard Garbarini
Tribute by Roberta Chromey
Vic, my Sherborne II classmate and enduring friend, was born in the Bronx on March 4, 1949. He died February 7, 2026 of pneumonia and cancer at Inova Hospital in northern Virginia. His long-time partner, Kate Dromboski, her sister Carole, and his sister Joanne were at his bedside.
I will remember Vic for his wit, humor, and entertaining stories, many of which were of the famous musicians he met and interviewed. He was editor of Musician magazine and wrote for Rolling Stone and many publications. His interview with Paul McCartney was especially memorable.
Victor was much more than just a lovable character. The following excerpt from Real People, my memoir of the Basic Course, reveals a glimpse of his inner life. It took place as we gathered in the Horse Parlor at Sherborne House on December 16, 1972, for observations on the theme of the week, which was Reversal of the Flow of Forces:
Victor, with his radio-announcer baritone and congenial presence, spoke up first, and as usual, at great length. Tonight, he didn’t spin a tale with a humorous punch line. He talked about having felt something percolating inside for several weeks which he’d tried to describe previously, but was unable.
“It felt like something inside was trying to reset but I was blocking it with my body and my mind, afraid to trust it. But I stayed with it. Finally, during hermeneutics class, I felt something in my body was set right,” Victor explained. “Then, during Movements class, Pierre introduced a new Movement and said it was quite difficult. I almost laughed, because it seemed so easy. My body just did it.” (Victor was known for his irreverent humor, not his nimble body.) “This energy seems to come from behind and through me, as if ‘Victor’ is transparent, he continued. “It’s not mine, it belongs to everybody.”
Mr. Bennett asked gently, “And how do you tie this in with this week’s Theme?” Victor considered for a moment and replied, “It’s not like I’m reversing the flow of forces—I don’t turn anything around; what’s needed is to get out of the way so something can come through.
Mr. B nodded, “Yes, that is it. We consent to it, we don’t ‘do’ it—reverse the flow. It’s when we open and allow something inside ourselves to flow—it needs to come from Wish.”
Victor’s passing seems to have come from that place. Even as he was losing consciousness, I understand he was thanking each nurse or technician as they attended him, allowing something to flow.
Kate Dombroski texted: “Vic passed into the Light Saturday morning at 4:59 am. He was profoundly peaceful.” You can reach Kate via her Facebook page.
Here is another version of Vic's Kesdjan Blues, sent to us by Kip Page, that Vic wrote at Sherborne to the tune, "Love is All Round" by the Troggs.
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