July
12, 1923 - Nov. 22, 2009SOUTH BEND - Dr. Ruben "Ben" Brissey, 86, died in Memorial Hospital with family at his side on Sunday, November 22, 2009, after sudden complication in his Alzheimer's disease. Junior, as he was then known, was born in Auburn, West Virginia, on July 12, 1923, to Reuben M. Brissey Sr. and Draxie (Meathrell) Brissey. He excelled in school and was president of his high school's Future Farmers of America. He attended Salem College where he met Helen C. McMicken, who refused to date a man named "Junior." She started calling him "Ben," and he has been Ben ever since. They were married on July 16, 1945, after his service in the U.S. Army during World War II. Although he was not among the troops who liberated Auschwitz, he did report on the conditions found there to General Eisenhower. Ben received a Ph.D. in chemistry from West Virginia University (he liked to say it stood for "Privy Hole Digger") and began his career with General Electric, first in Lynn, MA, then in Schenectady, NY, and finally in the Philadelphia area. Ben was a frugal farm boy, but his family always had the latest GE appliance! He moved from GE to International Chemicals and Minerals while in Pennsylvania and then became the director of research and development for the National Can Company in Chicago from which he retired. Over his career he developed several patents. Ben is survived by his wife of 64 years, Helen; and their two children, Catherine (Scott) Maxwell of Granger, IN, and Gregory (Glenna) M. Brissey of Fort Collins, CO; and four grandchildren, Melissa Maxwell of Nashville, TN, Clifford Maxwell of Evanston, IL, and Megan and Lauren Brissey, both of Fort Collins. He felt that education was very important and was exceedingly proud of his children's Ph.D.'s and his grandchildren's educational accomplishments still in progress. Ben is also survived by a brother, George (Yvonne) Brissey of Harborcreek, PA. Ben and Helen moved to the South Bend area in 1989 after his retirement, where he was an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Kiwanis Club. He loved woodworking, gardening, investing and politics, and he could repair virtually anything. His humor, generosity, encouragement and wise counsel will be missed by his family and others who knew him. A memorial service will be held in Westminster Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, November 25, at 1 p.m. There will be no visitation. Ben's family would like to extend special thanks to the staffs of Providence House and Milton Day Services, who made his final years much richer, and to the nursing staff of Memorial Hospital's 10th floor for their wonderful care and compassion in his final days. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer Services of Northern Indiana. Welsheimer Family Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements. Family and friends may leave e-mail condolences at welshfh@yahoo.com.