October 11, 2019
Trine University extends its deepest sympathy to the family and colleagues of Brett
Gemlick, M.D., as it mourns the longtime friend of the university along with many
in the community.
Dr. Gemlick died Wednesday, Oct. 9, at age 50.
Dr. Gemlick was a member of Trine University’s Health Sciences Advisory Board, assisting in accreditation review on topics related to orthopedics, and had been the university’s orthopedic surgeon since 2000. He served as medical director of Trine’s Master of Physician Studies program in 2018 and was on the university’s Board of Trustees from 2004-2008.
He was a lead donor toward the SportONE/Parkview softball field on the Trine University campus, and threw the first pitch at the dedication of that facility.
A Fort Wayne native, Dr. Gemlick first became interested in orthopedic medicine as a freshman at Snider High School, when he went to work with his neighbor, an orthopaedic surgeon for Ortho NorthEast. He graduated first in his medical school class from The Ohio State University and joined Ortho NorthEast in 2000 as a specialist in sports medicine.
He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Scholastic Honorary Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Indiana State Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Fort Wayne Orthopaedic Society and American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Gemlick also won the Academic Excellence Award for Ideal Characteristics of a Physician.
In 2018, Dr. Gemlick received the “Man of the Year” honor from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society after he raised a record $163,000 for the nonprofit organization.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Beth, and their three children, Connor, Emma and Graham.
Viewing is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at D.O. McComb & Sons Funeral Home-Pine Valley, 1320 E. Dupont Road, Fort Wayne. The funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 14318 Lima Road, Fort Wayne. Memorial donations may be made to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.
Students in Trine University’s Capstone in Sport Management class won their second National Collegiate Sports Sales Championship (NCSSC) showcase event of the fall, then went on to place in the national Super Showcase.
Trine University chemical engineering graduate Parker Reichhart has earned national recognition, receiving two awards in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Student Design Competition. The awards were presented during the 2025 Annual Student Conference, held Nov. 1–4 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Amanda Malefyt, Ph.D., professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering at Trine University, has been elected to serve as a director within the Education Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), beginning her four-year term this month.