Obituary of Brian G. Ramsey

Brian Gaines Ramsey

Of Point Breeze, died unexpectedly on Friday, October 4, 2019, at age 82. He was born on March 17, 1937, in Union, S. Carolina to the late Doris Marie Gaines and William Arnold Ramsey, Jr. He was a loving husband to Margaret Fuhrman; loving father to Michael G.Ramsey (Pilar), Galen Surlak-Ramsey (Mary Beth) and the late Sean D. Ramsey; loving step-father to Barbara Fuhrman (German Segura), Andrea Brock (Leonard) and David Fuhrman; loving brother to Darla R. Mullaney, Bonnie J Ramsey, Mary Kamoroff, Lynda Areheart (Bill) and the late Roger B.Ramsey; loving Grandfather to Kian, Aria, Lincoln and Weston Surlak-Ramsey, Theo and Ren Segura, Halena Torres, and Griffin and Troy Brock; loving Uncle to his four nieces, Megan (Frank) Howard, Morgan (Allan) Marks, Erin Mullaney (Brace) Remington, Meredith (Joshua) Irvin and one nephew Ryan P Mullaney; Great Uncle to seven and good friend to many everywhere he lived. Educated at the University of South Carolina (BS 1956), the University of Wisconsin, Madison (MS 1958) and the University of Florida (PhD 1962); he did a post-doc at Pennsylvania State University and spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany. He was Professor of Chemistry at Akron, San Francisco State and Rollins College. A brilliant researcher and gifted teacher of physical organic chemistry, he published many papers and two texts.  After retiring from Rollins College as Professor Emeritus, he moved to Pittsburgh. Kind, gentle, fun-loving, optimistic and yet a fierce advocate of many causes, he enjoyed hiking, dancing, reading, writing poetry, traveling, and especially spending time with family and friends. He was a member of the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh since 2001 where he served on the Board of Trustees and contributed to many committees. He maintained his optimism and dignity after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and greatly enjoyed attending the Brite Program at the University of Pittsburgh for those with mild cognitive impairment.

A Memorial Service will be held at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh on Saturday, November 2nd at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, or to the Brite Program (www.brite.pitt.edu).  Condolences can be shared at www.mccabebrothers.com.