[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Sayer_Brian.jpg”]It is with profound sadness that family and friends announce the death of Brian G. Sayer, who passed away peacefully at home with his family on the morning of Tuesday, May 22.

Brian worked in the chemistry department at McMaster University for more than 38 years, retiring as manager of the department's NMR facility in 2005. Apart from music gigs, working in the chemistry department was Brian's only job in Canada after arriving here from England in 1967.

Initially, he was hired to set up a spectroscopic service for the
department, a position secured following an interview with R.J. Gillespie in a London pub. He held this position until becoming NMR applications specialist in 1973, and served as facility manager from 1984 to 2005.

During his time, the NMR facility grew and improved tremendously and came to be highly regarded within the University as well as in the Canadian and international chemical communities.

He is credited as co-author of 94 peer-reviewed publications. Brian is further credited with publishing the first solid-state NMR paper in an archeological journal, the first such paper in a paleontology journal, and with the first observation of 91Zr NMR.

In 1984, the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology awarded Brian the Norman and Marion Bright Memorial Award, which is presented to an
individual who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to the
furtherance of chemical technology. In 1985, he was elected a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada.

Educated and trained in England at Kingston College of Technology (now Kingston University), Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, Brian became a Licentiate of the Royal Society of Chemistry (LRSC) in Applied Chemical Spectroscopy in 1964. Prior to coming to Canada, he held various positions with Distillers Chemicals and Plastics, British Petroleum Research and Weston Research Laboratories.

Brian was an accomplished guitarist, owning and playing many makes and models of guitars over many years. Most recently, he played strictly for pleasure, but was a member of several bands (with paying gigs!) popular in the Hamilton area from the 1960s to the 1980s. He had the good luck to play with the late Stan Rogers and, before leaving England, even made a record album.

An enthusiastic traveler, Brian visited every continent, save Antarctica, and could usually be persuaded to share his adventures and photos with his friends. These evenings became fondly known as “torture by slide show.” Of course, they were anything but.

Brian was the beloved husband of Maggie, loving father of Abigail
(Eduardo) Bernal, a proud grand-dad to Sofia and cherished step-father to Maggie's children Austin and Allison Brooks.

He will be deeply missed by his best friend, Brian Allore, as well as by many friends and former colleagues at McMaster University, by fellow musicians and by his near-life-long mates in England and Texas.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Marlatt Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 195 King St. W., Dundas.

In accordance with the family's wishes, funeral services will remain private.

In lieu of flowers, Brian's family would greatly appreciate that donations be made in his memory to the Juravinski Cancer Centre (Hamilton Health Sciences).