Man assaulted in Old West End robbery dies, hospital says
7/7/2009Robert Brundage, 66, a longtime resident of Toledo's Old West End and a tireless community activist, died Tuesday in St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.
Mr. Brundage, who had been in the hospital since he was injured during a robbery in his neighborhood June 22, died at 4:04 p.m.
"His loss not only affects our immediate family, but Bob's extended family, including his friends, neighbors, and the Toledo community as a whole," his family said in a statement.
"As sad as the family is, now is the time to celebrate his life and legacy for community improvement."
Police say Mr. Brundage was punched in the head and knocked to the ground by Dailahntae Jemison, 15, about 6:30 p.m. June 22 on Collingwood Boulevard near Victoria Place.
The youth has been in the Juvenile Justice Center facing aggravated robbery charges and he was in court briefly Tuesday when his case was continued.
Mr. Brundage's bicycle was stolen during the attack that occurred as he left a meeting of Jobs with Justice at the Kent Branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.
He had pedaled less than a quarter mile south on Collingwood Boulevard when he was assaulted and robbed.
Mr. Brundage was well known in the Toledo area for his advocacy work in the fields of social justice, education, arts, and the community.
His involvement included the Collingwood Arts Center, the Toledo Poetry Foundation, the Urban Coalition, the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Area Jobs With Justice Coalition, Community Shares of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Grows, Toledo Central City Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, and the Toledo Metroparks.
Mr. Brundage was a 1960 honors graduate of Scott High School. He graduated from the University of Toledo in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in engineering physics and he went on to receive a doctorate in biophysics in 1969 from Brandeis University with a doctorate in biophysics.
He played cello in the Toledo Youth Orchestra and later for the Boston Civic Symphony, and continued playing during his college years.
Mr. Brundage worked as a research scientist, engineer, and owned a sound-recording company in Massachusetts before returning to Toledo in 1998.