Daniel Brass Obituary
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Dr. Brass's seminal research, which applied a network lens to power and politics in organizations, inspired vibrant streams of research. He had garnered almost 40,000 citations of his research and multiple research awards, plus served on several editorial boards of top journals in his field, including Administrative Science Quarterly for 12 years.
He also traveled internationally, teaching at universities in places such as Paris, Madrid, China, Greece, Australia and the West Indies.
With a doctorate from the University of Illinois, Dr. Brass was employed at Penn State University, State College, PA, before moving to Kentucky under the state's "Bucks-for-Brains" program.
Outside of academic work, he enjoyed gardening, landscape painting, refinishing antiques, and building topiaries, including a set that appeared in Topiary Today. He also liked golf and softball.
He was born May 12, 1947, a son of John and Ollie Brass of Pittsfield, IL. He is survived by his wife Karen; brother, John (Margaret) Brass of St. Louis, MO; and sister, Louise (Mike) Stauffer of Palmyra, MO.
A memorial service is planned for spring.
Care Cremation and Funeral Service is honored to be entrusted with final care.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Daniel, please visit our floral store.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
David Krackhardt
January 24, 2025
Dan was a dear colleague, one who showed up on my radar just in time to help me through my earliest days as a member of this academic community. He was a couple years ahead of me in this journey, paving the way for the rest of us to embark on research using social networks to answer traditional and new OB questions. We met on a plane, on the way to the Academy of Management one year (early 1980's). We started talking about our mutual interest in networks and how difficult it was to even get reviewed in micro OB journals (because there were so few OB scholars who were familiar with network ideas at the time). Suddenly, we realized that we were reviewers of each other's papers. We laughed heartily, and became fast friends from there on out. He was always willing to read my manuscripts, suggest significant improvements, and encourage me as I followed his lead into this new corner of the field. I will miss his warm smile, his kindness and advice, and especially his friendship.
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Dana (Lindsley) Born
January 16, 2025
In memory of Professor Dan Brass, an extraordinary mentor who shaped my journey at Penn State and beyond. His guidance on my PhD committee and our collaborative work, including our co-authored publication, profoundly influenced my growth as a scholar and person. Dan´s dedication to nurturing others, much like his passion for gardening, helped countless students and colleagues thrive.
He and Karen exemplified a true partnership, creating a home and legacy of love, wisdom, and community. In his honor, I will plant a tree, a living symbol of his enduring impact and the countless lives he touched.
With gratitude and deepest sympathy to Karen and all who loved him,
Dana (Lindsley) Born
Ajay Mehra
January 16, 2025
Kind, intelligent, and generous. Dan was an exceptional human being who made a profound difference in my life. I was fortunate to know him and to learn from him. I will miss him dearly.
Ken Butterfield
January 15, 2025
I have so many great memories of Dan at Penn State and on the golf course. I will always remember his easy smile. He was very kind and positive, always offering a word of support or encouragement. We were lucky to have Dan in our lives. A wonderful teacher, mentor, and friend.
Theresa Floyd
January 15, 2025
I remember discussing a research idea with Dan early in my doctoral program, and it was a terrible idea. Dan thoughtfully redirected me with some pointed questions, and I came away with a better idea of how to think about research questions. He always showed extraordinary patience and kindness.
Another fond memory is a class session in his social network theory class. It was toward the end of the fall semester, and one of the students in the class, who was from China, said something about wanting to watch some good American movies over the break. That led to a passionate discussion about which American movies she just HAD to watch, enthusiastically led by Dan. I love that he got into the fun of it and allowed the class session to be hijacked by this silly discussion!
I am so lucky that I got to know him. What a wonderful mentor and all-around mensch!
Don Bergh
January 14, 2025
Julie and I are deeply saddened to learn of Dan's passing. He and I were colleagues at Penn State for many years and enjoyed him very much. He always had a smile, a funny quip, and caring advice to offer. We so enjoyed him and he was a pillar of our community. He also cared for his neighborhood and used to shape his shrubs into a train for the holidays to make everyone smile that went by. He will be much missed.
Radhika Santhanam
January 14, 2025
It is very sad to hear of Dan´s unexpected death. I remember him as a kind, pleasant and intelligent person. While working on research projects, I learned much from his wisdom and research skills. Dan and Karen were a lovely couple, and it was always fun to be with them. Krish and I have spent much time with them over dinner and visiting places. I remember his friendly smile and enthusiasm to have a good time wherever we went. He was a great host and enjoyed having people over to his house. We have many fond memories of Dan and will cherish them always.
De Liu
January 14, 2025
Dan's wit and wisdom left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to interact with him when I was at Univ of Kentucky, from attending his social network PhD seminar class to coauthoring papers together. His insight and wisdom broadened my perspectives. Outside of academic life, his humor and creativity were a source of inspiration to me. I still remember the shark-mouth watermelon he carved in one of the parties he hosted. He was like family to me. I still wear the mittens he and Karen gave me when i left Kentucky for Minnesota. He was such a good friend.
Martin Kilduff
January 14, 2025
I remember Dan from the first time I arrived at Penn State for an interview. He was unfailingly kind. And he was my supportive colleague for many years. We published great papers together, we co-taught a doctoral seminar on social networks during which I learned so much from him. He was a good friend and I miss him greatly.
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