By Reed Fischerpublished: Tue., Nov. 29 2011 @ 3:47PM
Ingrid Pastorius with Jaco Pastorius' four children -
John, Julius, Felix, and Mary -- in 1983.
Ingrid Pastorius, who was married to virtuoso electric bassist Jaco Pastorius between 1979 and 1985, died on Monday after reportedly suffering a stroke. She was 61.
A native of Indonesia, Ingrid also spend time in Holland and Puerto Rico before moving to South Florida at age 20. She then worked as a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines, and reportedly was spotted by Jaco before they met on a flight between Fort Lauderdale and New York. Ingrid and Jaco began a relationship in 1977 prior to his work on the Shadows and Light tour with Joni Mitchell. They then married -- Jaco's second marriage -- in July of 1979 in Guatemala, and bought a house in Deerfield Beach with money he made on tour with Mitchell. Their fraternal twin sons, Felix and Julius Pastorius, were born June 9, 1982.
A lengthy interview with Ingrid at JoniMitchell.com indicates how close she was with her husband's work -- notably he was also a member of Joe Zawinul's Weather Report beginning in the '70s.
She had this recollection of being by his side while he worked on Mitchell's Mingus album: "We were staying at the Sunset Marquis and we were going to the studio and the horns parts were decided in the studio and then we went back to the hotel," she says. "I think he stayed up until like five in the morning. He wasn't using any drugs or alcohol. I have to mention that, too. (laughs) Great things did happen when he was sober. The next morning we went back into the studio and the horn parts were incredible."
Her favorite composition of her husband's was "Three Views of a Secret," according to an interview she gave to ZawinulFans.org: "Initially it bore my name, but I felt uncomfortable about the idea at the time. I do not regret making him change it, for I just simply love the name it is now."
In the mid-'80s Jaco's bout with manic depression worsened, and Ingrid decided to leave him so that she could take care of their sons. They divorced in 1985, but as she wrote on her personal site, "emotionally, and spiritually I remained attached to him, his music, and now his soul."
Jaco Pastorius preceded his wife in death in 1987 following a violent altercation outside a Wilton Manors bar.
Jaco and Ingrid Pastorius during the 1980 Weather Report tour.
While raising Julius and Felix, Ingrid Pastorius took part in several projects to remember her late husband -- including Pastorius Park in Oakland Park and a postage stamp campaign. Her family could not be reached for comment at deadline.
As has happened on several occasions in the past, Ingrid was planning to host a birthday celebration in honor of what would have been Jaco's 60th birthday on Sunday, December 4, at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton. The event information is here, and once we hear more, we'll update this posting.
Re-Blogged from the New Times of Broward/Palm Beach
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2011/11/rip_ingrid_pastorius_jaco_pastorius_wife_1950_2011.php
We knew Ingrid for some 15 years or so and throughout the years we would see her at parties, gatherings and in Downtown Hollywood. When she saw us she always had a kind word and a big warm smile on her face, she seem to bring a feeling of love when she was in your presence. It's a shame she had to go so soon.
She will be deeply missed and our sympathy goes out to her two boys Felix and Julius, her family and her friends.
Julius, Ingrid & Felix Pastorius
Ft. Lauderdale, August 8, 1998
Polaroid taken exclusively for JM
