Dr. Robert “Brian” Valimont formerly of Naples, Fla., passed away at his home in Covington, La., on Friday, April 8, 2022 after a two-year battle with ALS. He was 45 years old.
Born in Doylestown, Pa., he was the son of Robert C. Valimont and Constance L. (Kulp) Valimont.
He grew up in Holicong, Pa., and graduated with the class of 1995 from Central Bucks East High School. He loved the outdoors and played baseball, soccer, and went skiing and hunting. He was a setter for the boys’ volleyball team in high school. He fell in love with traveling as a result of family trips across the U.S. and to Europe and Africa. He became fluent in German as a result of student exchanges. Although he grew up in the country, the cities of Europe transformed him into more of a city lover.
After high school Brian attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with the intention of becoming a pilot. Although he earned his remote pilot and commercial pilot certificates from the FAA he ultimately shifted focus and graduated from Embry Riddle with a BS in human factors and a Gold MS degree in human factors and systems. He then attended Virginia Tech University where he earned his Ph.D. in industrial systems and systems engineering. At Virginia Tech, while earning his own degree, he was a teaching assistant and received the award for the Best Teaching Assistant as voted on by the students.
After finishing school, Brian worked as an ergonomics consultant, a research associate in the defense industry and a research associate and principal systems engineer for Honeywell Aerospace where he worked on the design of airplane cockpits and systems. In 2019 he left the aerospace industry to work for Arthrex, an orthopedic pharmaceutical company. Hired as a lead user researcher, in short time he was promoted to principal human factors engineer and held that position until and during his battle with ALS. As an academic, he participated in a Mayo Clinic research project on ALS until the pain became intolerable for travel. He donated his brain to the Mayo Clinic with the hope that something beneficial can be learned about the terrible disease.
He loved to take things apart and put them back together. He taught himself to be a mechanic, rebuilt two VW Beetles and loved to tinker on his Mustang and Porsche over the years. He helped his father-in-law rebuild the engines and re-do the wiring on his boat. Although he grew up in cold weather, he fell in love with the south because he could work on his cars and motors all year round. He was a black belt in taekwondo and a proud member of Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Brian is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Gay, who cared for him tirelessly during his two-year ordeal. He was preceded in death by seven months by his 9-year-old son, Eli, who succumbed in six months to D.I.P.G., an inoperable brain tumor. In addition to his wife and parents, Brian is also survived by his brother Chris, sister Leah, brother-in-law Henri, nephew Nathan, his mother and father in-law Francis and Wayne as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
In true Brian fashion he didn’t want a memorial service or funeral but rather a private party (with alcohol) for all family members and friends to get together to reminisce.
A private remembrance celebration will be held for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider donating to I AM ALS or The Cure Starts Now.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
