Brian Donald Gilbert Wakefield of Troy, Michigan, died peacefully as he drifted off just before midnight while surrounded by his family on December 8, 2017, at Troy Beaumont Hospital. He was 74 years old. Brian is survived by his wife, Sandy, his sister, Rosemary Skelly and his children, Paul Wakefield, (Laura), of Davisburg, MI and Jennifer Carpenter, (Shawn Grenesko) Midland, MI, two step sons, and his grandchildren. Brian was born on August 3, 1943, in Des Plaines, IL to Ellen and Gilbert Wakefield. His father and brother, Donald, both served their country in World War II, but their sacrifice left his mother Ellen to raise Brian and Rosemary as a single mother in the 40’s. They were a remarkably strong family with an exceptional work ethic that he passed down to his children. Brian attended Bradley University in Peoria, IL, and graduated with a degree in Journalism. His first industry position was at Burton Advertising in Peoria where he started his career in advertising and writing. One of his initial projects was working on radio commercials for the first McDonalds restaurant in Des Plaines, where they created their original audio character, the McDonald’s Bear. Brian wrote for Chilton Magazine and was one of the pioneers to write about the future of the robotics industry back in the late 1960’s. He moved his family to Troy, Michigan, in 1976 to work for Production Magazine where he continued his writing for the automotive industry. He continued his career in advertising and ultimately started his own ad agency, The Wakefield Group, where he helped clients find their product’s voice to share with the public until his last days. Brian was an avid reader and believed you should read everything you can get your hands on. He carried this love on to his children and grandchildren by stocking their book shelves from the time they could read. Fittingly, he loved spending time at the Troy Public Library. He loved to tinker in his yard in Troy, where he has lived for 41 years. Brian will be remembered as a hard worker with fantastic stories, a witty sense of humor, lived a full, exciting life, traveled the world and lived life with a confident swagger.