Brian D. Lancaster

With Jah as his copilot, Brian D. Lancaster, 43, arrived on the beaches of Zion on Thursday March 29, 2018 in Phoenixville, PA. Born January 5, 1975 and raised in Havertown, PA, he was a jack of many trades including advertising account manager, telecommunications project manager, special education teacher, bartender, and reality TV star. He was understudying as a savant but hadn’t quite finished the curriculum and his PhD, but was holding a B+.

In his formal education, Brian graduated from University of Colorado Boulder with a B.A. in Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising and graduated from Eastern University with a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. He would tell you though that his real education came from examining life endeavoring to become “well sharp” in order to chop through life’s challenges. Although not actually Jamaican himself, Brian was long entranced by their culture and proudly sported excellent dreadlocks.

A spiritual explorer, dreamy stargazer, inquisitive world traveler and barstool philosopher who enjoyed a good mind meld, Brian exceled at being a human being rather than a human doing.  Constant in his soul and spirit, he would share possessions, thoughts and every part of his essence with anyone who came into his orbit.

Brian, who was also known as Chilly Willy, Lanc, Dawg and Briana, never knew a stranger and was a connoisseur and collector of an eclectic assortment of friends ranging from 18-97. He was a consummate hugger, professional cuddler, iconoclast and master bullshitter who was extremely accident prone. Ever the authority shirker he was well-known for crossing lines and pushing the envelope.

Brian enjoyed the outdoors and was known in different circles as a tall-taled fisherman, free skier extraordinaire, daredevil skateboarder and ferocious backyard gardener. He loved being in nature and had a way with all living beings, making him somewhat of an animal whisperer. He had an imaginary (though he wanted a real version) menagerie of baby animals, including an owl, sloth, elephant, chinchilla, and mini version of Alex from the Shriner’s Hospital commercials (complete with wheelchair), whom he called “Alexcito”.

An inspired artist, prolific writer and wordsmith, life-long rock hound, amateur barber and no-tell motel enthusiast, Brian also relished watching sci-fi (especially Star Trek, Dr. Who and Twilight Zone), horror movies, trash TV and Supernatural.  A techy internet geek and self-proclaimed hacker/pirate who had a love/hate relationship with social media, he also delighted in occasionally Twitter trolling political figures. Brian also happened to be a superb chef, having acquired his culinary skills mainly from his Mom, from a Chef de Cuisine friend at The Fairmount in Maui, and by much trial and error.

He is survived by: his adoring fiancée, Sarah J. Bell, whose soul he shared and with whom he was madly in love since the first day he met her; his dear and ever-faithful canine sidekick/companion/and psychologist, Reagan, with whom he became whole when he rescued her; his doting father and mother, Dennis and Carol Lancaster, for whom he remains the absolute light still in their lives; his treasured godparents, Uncle Ed Lancaster and Aunt Janice O’Hara; his fiancee’s parents, Harris and Adriana Beyer; and scores of other family, old and new friends (real, not Facebook).

Because he couldn’t be sent to space or have his head cryogenically frozen he will have to settle with living on forever as ashes in the earth, just the way he wanted.

Relatives and friends are invited to his Visitation on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 from 6-9pm at DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, 410 North Church Street, West Chester, PA; 610-696-1181; www.DellaFH.com .  On Thursday, April 5, 2018, family and many friends from grade school, high school, college, and his various abodes from across the country will assemble at 2pm for a brief visitation at the funeral home. This will be followed by a sharing of memories of Brian and his escapades in a Celebration of His Life at 3pm. (Brian always liked get-togethers and storytelling). Following that there will be a social gathering at the West Chester Veterans of Foreign Wars (a site of many happy times for Brian), at 837 Lincoln Ave, West Chester, PA 19380, from 5-7pm.

Inurnment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Brandywine Valley SPCA, 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, PA 19380, https://bvspca.org/ . (a no-kill shelter in Chester and Delaware County), and the orphanage from which Brian adopted his faithful companion, Reagan.