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George Isaac, Jr. 91, of Bryan, Ohio passed away January 11, 2015 surrounded by his family at Saint Clare Commons, Perrysburg. He was born January 24, 1923 to George Azar and Mary Ade Isaac, immigrants from Syria. He was the youngest of 9 children. A 1940 graduate of Bryan High school, he attend Miami University for one semester but returned home to work in the Isaac Family business after the death of his father for the next 70+ years.
His personal Mission Statement was: “The goal of life is to make a difference for the betterment of the lives of other people, and most especially for those who have not shared in the best that life has to offer.”
He was a 33° member of the Supreme Council of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masons and a 70 year member of numerous Masonic organizations.
He was chairman of The Isaac Corporation, a dealer/broker /processor of scrap iron and metals, president of Isaac Property Company, a commercial real estate development company in addition to other Isaac family businesses that included a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership, Goodyear Tire franchises, Bandag recapping business, a car leasing business and a former owner of the South Toledo Golf Club.
He was past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Medical College of Ohio, past trustee of the Medical College of Ohio Foundation, past member of the board of directors of National City Bank (Toledo), past Trustee of the Toledo Symphony, past president of the Bryan Chamber of Commerce, Past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Wesley United Methodist church, Past president of Bryan properties, the developer of the Bryan Industrial Park, past member of the Defiance College Board of Trustees, past trustee of WGTE Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio, past trustee of the National Foundry Education Foundation, past president of the Bryan Senior Center and a charter member of the Bryan Area Foundation.
While he was not able to graduate from college due to his father’s death, he highly valued education and created scholarship funds for deserving students at the Medical College of Ohio, Miami University, Defiance College and Northwest Community College. In addition, he established the George Isaac Endowed Professorship in Cancer Research at the Medical College of Ohio. In 2007, the University of Toledo Medical Center honored George by naming the new outpatient surgery center the George Isaac Minimally Invasive Surgery Center.
He received three honorary degrees: an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Medical College of Ohio, an honorary doctor of Technical letter from Northwest Community College and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from The Defiance College.
George was selected as a Master Entrepreneur of the Year for Northwest Ohio, the Bryan Area Foundation’s Good Citizen of the Year Award, the Medical College of Ohio Distinguished Citizen Award, Greater Toledo Arab American Honoree, and Outstanding Philanthropist by the Northwest Ohio Society of Fund Raising Executives, Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Miami University President’s Medal.
He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers and sisters and his former wife, Lilly Isaac. He is survived by his sister Marion Isaac, sons George (Shari) Isaac and Zac (Dee) Isaac, grandchildren Drew and Megan Isaac, Ashley and Allie Isaac, many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received on Thursday, January 15, 2015 from 3-8 PM at the Walker Funeral Home 5155 Sylvania Ave, Toledo, Ohio and Friday, January 16, 2015 from 3-8 PM at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 903 Center Street, Bryan, Ohio, where the Bryan Masonic Lodge #215 F. & A.M. will conduct Masonic Services at 7:30 p.m., followed by 33rd° Services. There will be a Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 11 AM at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 903 Center Street, Bryan, Ohio. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Oberlin-Turnbull Funeral Home, 206 North Lynn Street, Bryan, Ohio (www.oberlinturnbull.com).
The family requests in lieu of flowers contributions to the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, 1838 Parkwood Ave, Toledo, Ohio 43604 or The Wesley United Methodist Church, 903 Center Street, Bryan, Ohio 43506.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at the University of Toledo Medical center, Dr. Larry Elmer, Debra O’Connell and Dr. Vicky Ramsey-Williams, the staff at Saint Clare Commons for the comfort and care provided to George the last 13 months including Dr. Anu Garg, Debra Dugan, the entire nursing staff and aids and the Concept Rehab physical therapy team. We also want to thank his care givers, Peggy Holb and Judy Psurny and the aids from Passionate Care while he was in Bryan, and Judy Hanna, Judy Davenport, Debbie McClelland, Jeannine Van Vorce, Mike Kilcorse and Beth Gandy during his time in Toledo.