Brian James Bugge

Brian James Bugge was born June 26, 1982 to Tereasa and Brian C. Bugge in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. From a young age Brian, along with his beloved sister, Nikki, were brought on family trips to the Oregon Coast. These trips and adventures to the ocean would soon turn to a deep love, admiration and respect for the sea to which he’d return to many times over the course of his life and in a tribute of respect for her capacity, would be his final resting place.

A man of great strength and courage, Brian delighted in every opportunity to live his life to the fullest. He didn’t believe in “Bucket Lists” - instead opting for the idea that if you want something, now is the time to do it as you’re not guaranteed a tomorrow. His hunger for knowledge and his desire for wisdom propelled him on a path leading to incredible adventures and accomplishments throughout his 35 years of life.

At 21 years old, Brian joined the US Navy and through his undeniable work ethic and personal perseverance, he was promoted to a Chief Petty Officer 10 years after joining the Navy. Less than three years later while in Hawaii for work he received news he would soon be joining the ranks of the LDO/Mustang community. He commissioned as an officer in August 2017 and was proud and excited to serve his part of such an elite and closely tied Naval community.

Brian married the love of his life, Ashley in 2013 and together they built an inspiring, adventurous and loving life together. They welcomed their daughter, Isabel (Izzy) Blakely (3) in 2014 and their son, Hudson Belmont (1) in 2016 and were thrilled to find out on Christmas Day 2017 that they’d be adding another daughter (Adeline Makai) to their beautiful family in August 2018. His love for Ashley was apparent in every single interaction one would witness between the two of them; they truly were the epitome of the term “soulmates.” The love between the two of them was something Brian spoke openly and happily about and this love radiated throughout his life to his children, relatives, close acquaintances and many others.

Of the many defining and captivating moments in Brian’s life, at the age of 34 and after earning his Captain’s license and becoming an ASA sailing instructor, as Brian found out he made LDO and would be moving his young family to Hawaii, he made the decision to pull together a crew and figure out how to sail his 36’ sailboat the 3000 miles across the Pacific. Brian was never one to turn down adventure and more often than not was the one coming up with these grand ideas of exploration, hoping to instill the passion he had in others to join him in making these incredible memories. He and three close friends/family left Gig Harbor, WA and arrived in Honolulu, HI on the bright gold sailboat, aptly named Stay Gold, 21 days later with incredible stories of friendship, preservation and life changing moments.

Brian long had a yearning to learn to scuba dive and after exchanging birthday gifts in 2013 with his wife, Ashley and realizing they had both given each other scuba diving lessons as their birthday presents, they booked tickets and were certified as open circuit divers on New Years Day in Mexico. From here Brian’s love, quest and yearning to be in the ocean took a new turn and within a few years he had made his way through the PADI Divemaster courses and upon his arrival in Hawaii, would begin his next undertaking; learning how to dive a Liberty closed circuit rebreather. He is remembered at the local dive shop as someone who was passionate about the sport, who encouraged others to chase after that passion and to explore the depths of their limits by means of the ocean.

Brian was also an award-winning published photographer on both land and in the water. He used his photography to express his view of the world and the beauty and excitement of it. He had a camera for every occasion, stating he wanted to be able to remember everything. His photos have won national contests, been published in magazines and purchased via galleries and private parties across the US where they will stay as a reminder of the incredibly unique way he saw the world through his camera lens.

Brian’s legacy of adventure, approaching all of life head on with humor and enthusiastic tenacity, leaves an indelible mark on every single soul who knew him. More than anything he would want his memory and infectious spirit to be taken on as many adventures and expeditions as possible, both above water and under. He was the best of the best, one of a kind and will be missed by those who knew him and those who hadn’t yet been given the opportunity to know such an incredible individual. He leaves behind an incredible community of people throughout all of the different walks of life he’s taken, but he will be missed in a special way by his wife, Ashley and their two children, Isabel and Hudson with baby Adeline due in August. He was also adored by and had a close relationship with his immediate family members; mother, Tereasa (Terry) and Step-Father, Frank Martin as well as his sister, Nikki and brother in law, Aaron Burns and their children, Elliot and Kaius. He was well loved and his accomplishments respected by all of his numerous brother-in-laws, mother and father-in-laws, cousins, aunts, uncles and many others throughout the country.