Deborah E. Brasher

Deborah was a very good friend and loyal confidant. She had a great sense of humor and although highly educated, she had a substantive sense of respect for those who did not have the same opportunity to be exposed to traditional academia. She was a hard marker for those who were fortunate enough to come across her path whether a student, colleague or friend but that was the a benefit to recipient. A great life, well lived.

Even now, 50 years later, my memories of Deb Brasher’s history classes are vivid. I remember reading Herodotus and Thucydides, unaware that I’d been walking my biochemistry students through the Athenian plagues decades later. We read Alexis DeTocqueville’s Democracy in America. And now of course it’s all under attack.

For me, you were that teacher. The one that found something inside of me that I didn't know was there. The one I will not, can never, forget. Thank you for that, Miss Brasher.

I was lucky enough to be her student in the 80's and first hand witness to the breadth of her impact. We learned the value of being lifelong learners from her. We learned that if you want to have an opinion on a topic you should study and understand all the perspectives. We also learned that if you truly want to know something, you should teach it and then realize how much more there is to discover.

I am one of the fortunate many who are grateful and better for being a student of...

She taught history. Old school. Often wrote on blackboard sentences at a time.

And as little mischievous kids we’d pass notes and make noises to get her to turn around. “Class focus!” We'd yell it to others at random times to make things light. "Focus!"

She could be strict and I think in 9th grade we pushed back but in hindsight there was a caring about her we couldn't see at the time. And she was beyond bright. She taught us about history but really I think she taught...

Miss Brasher was a wonderful and memorable teacher! She had powerful impact. And be sure and pronounce her name correctly ;)) One of Renbrook's greats along with Stoddard Reynolds and so many others.

I worked at Renbrook as a History teacher for 9 years, and it was a true privilege to work with, and learn from, Debbie Brasher. She was a wonderful colleague, Department Head, and friend-I felt very fortunate to be able to turn to her (and I often did) for advice and encouragement. I will always remember her generosity, her amazing breadth of of knowledge, and her wonderful sense of humor.

Deb was a mentor to me when I joined the history department in 1994, and my roommate in 204 for around ten years. I always marveled at her command of world affairs, economics, and the history of, well, everything, it often seemed. She was generous with her time, helping me craft better lesson plans and paper topics, and we’d often blow our planning periods talking about an election or a Supreme Court decision. No matter how much I thought I knew my way around an issue, she always had more...

Miss Brasher was a powerful force in Renbrook School classrooms, coping with sassy 7th to 9th grade students. We worried about her tests and pop quizzes, but she taught us so much. A great teacher.