Brian is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Patty, his children - Shelley, Linda (Shawn), Thomas, and Paige; his siblings - Valerie (Larry), Steve (Debbie), Kathy, and Janet; and his nieces and nephews whom he loved like his own kids, and whose children would become like his grandkids. He is preceded in death by his father, Robert, mother, Ardeth, and sister, Laura.
Brian’s zest for life was unmatched. He always had a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face, and a fantastic sense of humor to match his equally fantastic laugh that came straight from the soul. He loved to eat anything that was, “To die for!” and was always on the quest to make the perfect pancake. He loved to travel the world with his wife, and captain his family’s Lake Powell houseboat every summer. He was immensely proud of his children and loved his family above all else. He was the embodiment of unconditional love.
Brian was a miracle man with a larger than life personality. His energy could captivate an entire room and his stories could enthrall people for hours. He loved a good debate and a great discussion especially if it concerned politics, religion, or medicine. He had a brilliant mind and a loving heart. He did everything he could to help his fellow man and opened his home, his heart, and his wallet to hundreds of people in need. He was our go-to for all of life’s questions and taught many of us life lessons we will never forget.
Brian was also an avid entrepreneur and the owner/operator of Sofa Biz for 37 years. He invested himself in every single person who worked with and for him, and made great personal sacrifices to ensure his team succeeded both at business and in life.
To say that Brian was a self-made man, a survivor, is an understatement. He spent more than 50 years fighting and surviving major health issues. He endured thousands of hours of cancer treatments for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, survived a half-dozen heart attacks, and a myriad of other medical issues. It left his doctors scratching their heads and saying, more than once, “We don’t know how he’s alive.” But that was Brian, never giving in, always pulling through.
Brian is now in heaven watching over all of us as he always did, and hopefully learning which of his “voodoo” home treatments actually worked and if his Theory of Gravity was right.
Please join us in celebrating Brian’s life Thursday, January 20 at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary (3401 S. Highland Drive Salt Lake City). A viewing will be held from 12-1 PM, and a funeral from 1-2 PM.
