Arthur Seymour Brecher

Arthur Seymour Brecher passed away peacefully on February 11, 2021 after a short illness, and is now blissfully reunited with his dear wife, Laura.

Arthur was born in New York City in 1929, where he lived in the Bronx with his mother, father, and three older sisters. He attended public high school in the Bronx and went to City College of New York on full scholarship receiving a BS in 1948. With the recommendation of his professor at CCNY, he applied and was given a Teaching Fellowship to University of California Los Angeles for Graduate school. He received a PHD from UCLA in 1948. After his PHD he moved to Muncie, Indiana to do a Post-Doctorate at Purdue University. After getting used to the LA weather, he often told the story of crying all the way to Indiana in his car.

Arthur moved to Washington, D.C. after completion of his post-doc, and worked for both the Food and Drug Administration and George Washington Medical School. He met the love and red-head of his life Laura Alma Lyman in the D.C. area while she was working at Johns Hopkins as a pediatric nurse and they joyfully married in 1966.

In 1968, they adopted Benjamin Howard in Washington, D.C., before moving to Bowling Green, Ohio and accepting a position as an Assistant Professor at Bowling Green State University in the Chemistry Department. In 1970, Arthur and Laura adopted Sharon Louise Grace in Toledo, Ohio. The family moved to their home in Ottawa Hills in 1976. They shared 47 years of wonderful marriage together until her passing in 2013.

In his academic pursuits, Arthur produced hundreds of publications over his 47 years at BGSU. He studied the blood coagulation cascade and effect of acetaldehyde upon the coagulation components. This relates directly to the effect of alcohol metabolites upon the enzymes, zymogens, protease inhibitors and glycosaminoglycans, such as heparin. Additionally, he worked on chemically modifying heparin and studying the anticoagulant effects of its analogs, as well as the effect of acetaldehyde on hypertension, hypotension, pancreatitis, and emphysema are being explored. He passionately loved to teach and talk with his students about life and Philosophy as well as explore and collaborate on lab research. He continued to teach at BGSU until his body wouldn't let him anymore at the age of 87!

Arthur loved music and the arts tremendously and had season tickets to the Toledo Opera and Symphony for over 40 years. He relished in taking his kids to hear classical music and for years would play the records of the opera and read the story to his kids before the weekend performances. Supporting the Toledo Museum and the Toledo Zoo were treasured connections in the community.

With his life-long passion as an amateur Gemologist, he traveled all over the United States collecting, digging, and buying rocks, fossils, and semi-precious stones. He made jewelry and so often gave presents to people for acts of kindness, which he so valued as something to always be shared. He was so cherished for his great sense of humor and heartfelt kindness, and known by all as a voracious reader with a witty gift of gab he abundantly shared with family, friends, and strangers alike.

His warmth, love and kindness will be tremendously missed by everyone who met him. He is survived by his daughter, Sharon Spencer; and his son, Benjamin Brecher; his daughter in law, Lauré, and the joys of his life, his grandchildren, Lauren, Zachary, Jordan, Audrey, and Kate.

Services will be held at Robert H. Wick/Wisniewski Funeral Home, 2426 N. Reynolds Rd, Toledo, Ohio, 43615 on Sunday, February 21st, 2021 at 11 a.m., followed by a brief graveside at Eagle Point Cemetery, Rossford, Ohio. The family graciously requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one of Arthur's favorite charities or community organizations (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Toledo Opera or Symphony, or charity of your heart) May we now carry on his legacy of loving and giving to others. To view the live stream of the service please visit our website.

www.wickfh.com

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Published by The Blade from Feb. 17 to Feb. 23, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Arthur Brecher

6 Entries

Emmy Hann

February 20, 2021

The Hann Family is grateful to have had Art Brecher in our lives for over 50 years, and his dear wife Laura for nearly 44 years. Not only were Art and my late husband occasional collaborators in biochemistry and microbiology, but Art maintained weekly contact with Bill after Bill's retirement from BGSU. He was especially attentive and concerned during Bill's final months, and was a eulogist at the Memorial Service. While Art and Bill enjoyed frequent lunchtime book discussions and trades, we all enjoyed Art's humor and his appreciation of music. Art's 90th birthday party will remain in memory for my son, Alex, and me, particularly as a chance to become better acquainted with Art and Laura's accomplished children, Ben and Sharon. Sharon, I thank you for the watchful care that you were able to provide for your Dad, so that we could enjoy his earthly time a while longer. Emmy Hann, and Alex, Susan, Randy, and Christine.

Sundararajah Thevananther

February 18, 2021

We are grateful for the life and memories of this gentle giant, for his decades of dedicated service, teaching and research, as Professor of Chemistry in Bowling Green State University. His passionate guidance and able mentorship inspired several generations of young minds to pursue scientific research careers. I will forever treasure his thoughtful mentorship that nurtured my personal growth as a scientist, during my formative years. More importantly, I am grateful for his unconditional love that he so generously showered upon my family and me. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.

Roberta Durham

February 18, 2021

Art Brecher, along with his wonderful wife, Laura, were two of the most kind-hearted, humanity-loving people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. We were their neighbors since 1987, enjoying so many interesting backyard conversations. Their enormous pride in Sharon and Ben was a joy to behold. They treated our daughter as an honorary grandchild, and took unfailing delight in sneaking her popsicles. Here is a story I will never forget: Laura's memory began to decline to the point where she needed more care, and she lived first in a Perrysburg facility, and then at Sunset House. We visited her several times a month, and during one of those visits I noticed Art's distinctive handwriting on some paper by her bedside. "Oh yes," she said when I remarked on it, "he leaves letters all the time!" I later mentioned to Art how happy Laura was to report his efforts, and he said (with a fierce intensity that anyone who knew him will easily remember): "I always want Laura to know how much she is loved, no matter how confused she gets. I write her a love letter every day." May Art's memory be a blessing...

Kenneth Bachmann

February 17, 2021

I met Art on only a couple of occasions. He was a fine and clever scientist, and a very nice person.

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Sally and Carl Twining

February 15, 2021

Dr. Art Brecher was a wonderful, thoughtful mentor who taught students not only how to accurately and skillfully conduct research but also how to be a creative and an ethical researcher with a desire to help mankind. He was an excellent teacher and an outstanding human being who was dedicated to his students not only while working in his laboratory but for a lifetime. He taught by example the joys of intellectual pursuits, family, and friends. Thanks to his family for sharing him with us.

Sally and Carl Twining

February 15, 2021

Dr Art Brecher was a wonderful, thoughtful mentor who taught students not only how to accurately and skillfully conduct research but also how to be a creative and an ethical researcher with a desire to help mankind. He was an excellent teacher and an outstanding human being who was dedicated to his students not only while working in his laboratory but for a lifetime. He taught by example the joys of intellectual pursuits, family, and friends. Thanks to his family for sharing Art with us.

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