Brian Fraser, killed at MSU, was a fraternity leader, 'strong friend'

• Brian Fraser was an excellent leader who wanted to serve
• Fraser was the president of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta
• The sophomore was studying business and economics at Michigan State University 

Brian Fraser left a strong mark on his friends and fraternity. 

He was "a great dude," said Will White, a sophomore at MSU and a longtime friend of Fraser. Both pledged the same fraternity at MSU.

“Thank you for being the best friend anyone could have ever asked for,” White wrote in a social media post. “You were one of the nicest, funniest, most caring people I have ever met. I will never forget the love and friendship you gave to me, and I’m honored to have been able to call you one of my best friends.” 

Related:

• Arielle Anderson, killed at MSU, loved photography and wanted to become a doctor one day.
• MSU victim Alexandria “Alex” Verner was a star athlete, ‘most caring’ person

Fraser, 20, of Grosse Pointe Park was killed Monday in a mass shooting at Michigan State University. Alexandria Verner and Arielle Anderson were also killed. Five students who were injured in the shooting remain hospitalized. 

Before MSU, Fraser attended St. Paul on the Lake Catholic School and Grosse Pointe South High School. An obituary described him as a longtime athlete and lifeguard who  "lived his life full of love. He was compassionate, caring and well-rounded. Brian enjoyed laughing and having fun with family and friends."

"Brian was a recognized leader and very active within his communities," the obituary read. "He could never have too many irons in the fire."

At MSU, he was studying business and president of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Last year, White, Fraser and a third fraternity member attended the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute at Miami University in Ohio, where Phi Delta Theta was founded.

Fraser "wanted the workload" that came with leading the fraternity, White said. "There's a lot of responsibility with it, and he's a responsible guy. He had his shit together." 

In a statement, the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity said its members were "devastated" to learn of Fraser's death. 

"As the leader of his chapter, Brian was a great friend to his Phi Delt brothers, the Greek community at Michigan State, and those he interacted with on campus," the statement continued.  

Friends started a GoFundMe account to honor his memory. 

“He was a dear friend to all of us in Phi Delta Theta. Brian meant the world to all of us and we were all devastated by the news of his passing,” Masoon Moetner wrote in the GoFundMe post. Over $32,000 has been donated to the account thus far.

Phi Delta Theta is assisting the Michigan Beta Chapter (the MSU chapter of the fraternity) with raising money to support the Brian Fraser Presidential Memorial Scholarship, which will help future Michigan Beta presidents fund their education. As of Friday, over $72,000 has been raised for the scholarship. 

“It is our hope at Phi Delta Theta and the hope of Brian's parents that each Phi who receives this scholarship will embody Brian's charismatic, contagious smile and caring, loyal energy.”

Visitation for Fraser was 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe. A funeral is 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms.

St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms held a Tuesday night service for the three victims that attracted hundreds of community members, students from MSU, friends of Fraser and more. They lit hundreds of candles in honor of Fraser and Alexandria Verner and Arielle Anderson. 

“Brian you were the most amazing, truthful, and strong friend,” Sheridan Ruppel, a sophomore at MSU, wrote in a Facebook post. “There will never be a day I don’t think of you. You were such a beautiful soul, nothing like this should have ever happened.”