Obituary of Ronald J. Jacomini

Ronald John Jacomini, age 82, of Bowling Green, OH, died peacefully on December 19th with his wife and dear friend Tam Hilty by his side. Ron was born on February 26, 1941 to Dominic and Anita Jacomini. He grew up on the family’s fruit farm in South Glastonbury, CT. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Florida and received his undergraduate degree in Graphic Design. He then attended Bowling Green State University where he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts and accepted a full time teaching position at the School of Art that same year. From 1965 to 1972, he was employed as the first Art Director of University Publications. He pursued the art of photography on both a teaching and professional level. He participated in summer workshops with prestigious photographers including Paul Caponigro, Ralph Gibson, Emmet Gowin, and Robert Heinecken. He introduced photography into the School of Art curriculum in 1971, and it became a major area of concentration in 1975. From 1981 until his retirement in 1998, he was Chair of Graphic Design at BGSU. His photographs have been featured in numerous national and regional exhibitions, including the Focus II Gallery and the Soho Photo Gallery in New York City, and were published in the 1984 publication New American Nudes: Recent Trends and Attitudes, published by Morgan & Morgan (1984). More recently, he was recognized in the exhibit “Distinguished”, along with his long time friends and colleagues Tom Hilty and Bob Mazur. This year, his photography was featured in “Life’s Work” at the BGSU Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery. It was during his early years of teaching at BGSU that he met Sandra Marie Tarantino, and they were married on September 2, 1967. Their daughter Andrea Jacomini was born in 1975, and their son Vincent Jacomini was born in 1977. In 1989, BGSU provided Ronald the opportunity to teach in Florence, Italy with SACI (Student Art Center International) and he took the family to Italy for the summer session that year, and again in 1992. In 2002, Ron and Sandi lived in Florence for 6 months while Ron taught Graphic Design at SACI. During these trips, he visited family in Ferriere, Costa, and Piacenza. Ron and Sandi returned to Italy several times after. The relationships they formed with family and friends on those trips have continued to the present day through their children and grandchildren. After his retirement in 1998, Ron returned to teaching at BGSU for several more years. He split his time between teaching and spending time in Connecticut helping his Mom take care of his father. A few years later, he spent time in Connecticut taking care of his Mom, until her passing in 2015. In between, he relaxed doing what he loved most; visiting with friends, working on his photography with a focus on professional boxers and portraits, traveling to Italy, wintering in Florida, and driving back to Connecticut and the blueberries. He held a deep affection for the time spent on the farm surrounded by family and friends. Ronald leaves behind his wife, Sandi Jacomini of Bowling Green, Ohio; his children, Vincent Jacomini and his wife Julie of Johnstown, Ohio; Andrea Jacomini and her husband Eric James of Columbus, Ohio, and two grandchildren, Carmen Asher-Jacomini and Jonathan James of Columbus, Ohio. In addition, he is survived by cousins and extended family in Connecticut. A graveside service will be held at Saint Augustine Cemetery in Glastonbury, CT on Thursday, December 28  at 1pm. The family is planning a local celebration of Ron’s life in 2024 and is working with BGSU to set up a Scholarship Fund in his name. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.