Melvin E Brez

Melvin Edwin Brez passed away on November 18, 2020 at the age of 84 from complications of Parkinsons Disease. He was the beloved husband of Eddy, the loving father of Alexandra Brez and Zachary Brez, the dear father-in-law of Matthew Wickware and Jen Kangas, and the adoring Pops of Evan and Scarlett Brez, and William Wickware. He was predeceased by his parents, Sidney and Anna Brez, and his brother Norman Brez.

Mel was a graduate of Bryant High School and Queens College, and the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to Paris, to study film. His award-winning films included The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. He received a Daytime Emmy, and numerous Writers' Guild Awards for his work on Soap Operas.

Mel was a photography collector, a subscriber to the N.Y. Philharmonic, and a jazz buff. He had a head-thrown-back laugh that drew others to laugh with him. He always asked the tough questions. His attitude toward authority figures led him at times 00to take brazen actions. For instance, one cold rainy day when he was in the Army, Mel bet his barracks buddies that he would be sent to the infirmary, even though the doctor never sent anyone to the infirmary. Sure enough, as Mel waited in line, he heard the Doc tell every soldier ahead of him to take two aspirin and return to his unit, no matter what the ailment. Then it was Mel's turn. "What's up, soldier?" the Doc asked. Mel said, "I just had a heart attack." Confounded, the Doc said, "How do you know?" And Mel said, "Believe me, when you have a heart attack, you know." Mel got to spend the day in the warm infirmary while the Doc ran tests -- and he collected twenty bucks from his barracks mates.

Then there was the time when he won the Army typing contest even though he was up against typing whizzes and he could only peck with two fingers . . .