Brian Tobias

Dr. Brian Tobias, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother, died in his sleep in Carmel, Indiana, at 81 years old. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, he was the eldest child of Ralph and Helene (nee Herman) Tobias. He grew up in the neighborhood of Sea Point with his brother Raymond, sister Berenice, and brother Ashley. The white sandy beach served as a touchstone, a place where he found thrills, peace, and friendship. But it was only one of many stomping grounds. He surfed at Muizenberg Beach with friends and took Ashley for rides on his motorbike along Avenue St. Charles. At Christian Brothers College, he was charismatic and a tough rugby player - once breaking his collarbone. When asked recently about being the best rugby player at his school, Brian said, "That was a very long time ago." Indeed, it was. Brian always knew this was only the beginning of his lifelong pursuit of exploring more that life had to offer. One Saturday night at a party, he met Jean Reznek. During their courtship, Brian visited Jean's family home, where her younger brother Rodney told jokes and delighted in Brian's laughter. On April 2, 1967, Brian married Jean. To many, Brian and Jean were "one" thereafter. They had their first child, Jonathan, in 1970 and Deborah in 1972. Brian received a medical degree from the University of Cape Town and immersed himself in cases that involved research and long nights. Then, he joined his father-in-law's medical practice, making house calls. In 1977, Brian moved with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he trained in anesthesiology at the University of Cincinnati. Soon after, Jean's close friend Lesley Loon relocated with her husband, Martin, who trained and worked with Brian. They were part of a network of South African Jewish expatriates, many of whom chose Cincinnati as their new home. All friends through their early or teen years, their connections survived time, distance, and life's challenges, but what mattered above all else was connection. Brian maintained that connection with his siblings, who emigrated to other cities. He always admired Ashley and Berenice for striking out in their youth and making their way in Israel - creating large families with their spouses, Leah and Gadi, respectively. He visited them and his father as often as he could for landmark events. He also traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, to be with Raymond and his wife, Cynthia, and their children. He sought out vacations regularly with their families and those of Jean's siblings, Rodney, Frank, and Steven. In Cincinnati, Brian was an anesthesiologist at the University of Cincinnati and later went into private practice servicing Jewish Hospital. He liked being a doctor. He took the hard cases and developed a good reputation among the surgeons and the nurses. Often around town, people asked about him and talked about how they admired his skills as a doctor. He was devoted to his wife, children, and grandchildren - always wanting the proper thing to be done. He spoke with perfect elocution and used his knife and fork with a precision not often seen in the United States. He liked to dress well and once traded in his surfboard for a leather jacket. On weekends, he preferred a dress shirt, belt, and slacks. He also liked to work out at the gym, swim, kayak, and bike until it hurt. During one vacation in Snowmass, Colorado, Brian gamely went mountain biking with Jonathan and promptly fell into a ditch. All scraped up, he came home and bought a mountain bike and continued with impressive determination. He bore the character traits of someone who was comfortable exploring their outer limits and working through it - just for the experience. Brian had a dry sense of humor and a gruff exterior, but underneath it all, he was a warm, loving family man. Perhaps he was most unvarnished around dogs. Throughout his life, Misty, Sasha, Max, Joey, and Lucy accompanied him - until Chloe, Debbie's goldendoodle, claimed him. No matter how many times that rambunctious dog dragged him down or across an active golf course, he never wavered. You can see a pattern here — he was a caretaker who would not quit. As years went by, he developed a deep emotional understanding of those around him and could be counted on to support them. For many years, he worked early and long hours to support his family until he retired in 2015 to take care of Jean. What more can be said about a very private man of many facets at the end of his life? We all have our cherished, unique memories of him. For his children and grandchildren, one could think of him like the giving tree in Shel Silverstein's children's book. Resolute, with a generosity that was borne of duty, commitment, and a boundless love. Brian, husband to the late Jean, is survived by Dr. Jonathan Tobias, Deborah Tobias Paul, and his grandchildren Sidney, Jacqueline, Isabella, and Zachary. Also survived by his siblings Raymond Tobias, a retired gastroenterologist, and his wife Cynthia; Berenice Yakov and her husband Gadi; and Ashley, a retired theater professor, and his wife Leah. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, March 16 at 1:30PM at Weil Kahn Funeral Home, 8350 Cornell Rd. Cincinnati, OH. 45249. Visitation will take place from 1PM to the time of service. Service will be LIVESTRESMED at https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/embed_viewer/110755. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund https://curealz.org

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Brian Tobias

October 17, 1943 - March 13, 2025