Daniel W. Brois

Obituary for Daniel W. Brois
August 26, 1964 – June 6, 2020
Cranford, New Jersey | Age 55
Daniel W. Brois, 55, of Cranford, NJ, returned home to The Lord on Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Born in Summit, New Jersey, to Stanley J. and Theresa J. Brois. Dan was the youngest of three children; he is survived by his brother Thomas Edward and his sister, Victoria Mary Pavlovsky.
As a child, Dan immediately stood out as inquisitive and bright; he was interested in collecting coins, stamps and was intrigued by crystals/rocks. He could also be found seeking hidden treasure with his metal detector. Later in life, he enjoyed fishing, wrestling, swimming, biking, playing baseball and football. A passionate animal lover, his menagerie of creatures included parakeets, turtles, a bearded dragon lizard and many dogs -- especially pugs! A man with an empathetic heart, in recent years, he took in a pregnant stray cat in the bitter cold of winter, raising each one of her five kittens, several of which became a permanent part of the family.
Dan had a great love for music. His favorites included the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, all of which he enjoyed listening to at a high volume! He was passionate about reading, watching the Military Channel, history, woodworking and, refinishing antiques.
Much of Dan's adult life was devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and education, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Cook College, a Master of Science degree in Molecular Genetics from Seton Hall University, his Ph.D. in Pathology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ and, his Master of Business Administration from Rutgers University. He was honored by Governor James Florio for his outstanding work in cancer research, including the identification of DNA markers for individuals who were predisposed to certain cancers. Dan was also responsible for developing a medication delivery method for those suffering with diabetes.
Dan spent most of his life in Westfield but also lived in Wantage, England, Houston, Texas and Newport Beach, California. His career as an executive with notable pharmaceutical and biotech companies such as Ono, Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, Novartis and Akzo Nobel/Organon took him to many fascinating places across the globe including Japan, China, South Korea, and Europe. For Dan, however, there was no place he would rather be than at home with his beloved family, friends, and pets. He married Laura Macey on September 18, 2010 and welcomed a beautiful son, Daniel James, in December of 2014. A devoted son, he cared for his father in his home for ten years, until his father's passing in February of this year.

Dan's spirituality was also of great importance to him. He became a born-again Christian in 1978 and was a member of the Mountainside Gospel Church for many years, sharing lifelong friendships with his church family.
Dan was well-loved and respected by his family, friends, and co-workers. He was a humble man who preferred being called "Dan" instead of Dr. Brois. We will miss him dearly and will always remember him in our hearts.
The funeral service and interment, at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, will be private. We regret that all who love Dan cannot be together to celebrate his life. Please visit the Gray Funeral Home website at grayfuneralhomes.com where you are invited to express your condolences.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to a GoFundMe campaign created by Dan's friends to assist his family. The fund may be found online: https://gf.me/u/x3vccm.