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On a sad note, one of the original Creek Road Runners, CRR Tom Brill, died on July 23 of complications from Parkinson’s Disease. Having retired from the University of Delaware in 2006 because of Parkinson’s, Brill also had to stop running, but he walked as much as he could in the ensuing years.
Brill wrote his own obituary, a portion of which says, “He enjoyed hiking, running, canoeing and mountain climbing. He and his wife [Pat] won the Gore-Tex triathlon mixed pairs in 1985.”
CRR Mark Deshon remembers the day he first met Brill. Deshon met Creek Road Runners co-founder CRR Bob Bennett that same day during a 4.5-mile race in Newark. “This was my first road race in which I experienced running with the lead pack. Tom and Bob, 12 and 15 years my senior, respectively, were among a group of seven runners who were battling for the lead that day. Bob ended up winning, I finished third, and Tom finished right behind me in fourth.
“Tom was always such a kind and humble person,” Deshon continued. “In 2016, he came to an arranged 75th birthday lunch get together in honor of Bob, who had been one of Tom’s running partners back in the 70s.”
CRR Charlie Riordan, UD vice president for research, scholarship and innovation, called Brill “a true scholar-teacher,” and said, “He was a thoughtful and understated [chemistry department] colleague and mentor, whose scientific impact continues through the careers of the excellent students he produced.”

Pusecker, who has served as senior chief business officer for the University of Delaware’s College of Arts and Sciences since 2001, will join St. Mary’s College of Maryland on July 1 as the public honors college’s vice president for business and finance/chief financial officer. Before coming to UD, Pusecker retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel after more than 20 years of active duty service.
Recently turned professional Sam Parsons, Newark native and son of CRR George Parsons and CRR Christina Parsons, will be competing in the 5000m race at the USATF Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, this weekend. You can catch the action on Sunday on NBC, the telecast beginning at 4 p.m. (EDT).
CRR Diane Kukich was recently written up as part of an
Now called “The World’s Fastest Humanitarian,” Dr. John Carlos, who (along with Tommie Smith) shook the world at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City with his raised fist protest on the medal stand, will speak at the University of Delaware’s Trabant University Center Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m.