Russell "Russ" Wayne Brown

Russell ("Russ" to his friends) was born in Salt Lake City, UT on June 22, 1960 to Lee and Jeanne Brown. He grew up loving to play sports and excelled in baseball and football. He loved adventure and being outside so it was natural that he took up rock climbing in Big Cottonwood Canyon -- without the ropes! -- and would skateboard down the canyon roads. He loved music - rock, oldies, country, and goofy "novelty" music with silly songs, but insisted that "rap is crap!". He taught himself how to play the drums when he was young and continued playing at home into his 60's. He also developed an early love of muscle and racing cars, appreciating the power brought to fruition through physics and innovative engineering. He loved his motorcycles, including two custom-built Harley-Davidsons, his '69 Cougar, '04 Mustang, two 260Zs and finally his dream car, a '99 Corvette.

Russell graduated with the Murray High School class of 1978. He married his high school sweetheart, Lisa Jarvis, on January 11, 1980. They were married for 44 1/2 years, until his death. They had four children together, who he loved to spend time with and take out on adventures and family trips every chance he could. Moving from Utah, to Nevada, finally finding home among the Hawaiian islands. He is in lifetimes of shared memories of going to the beach, off-roading in a Jeep through remote parts of Hawaii, surviving the Hana Highway to get to the Pools of Hana, visiting the Kilauea lava flow, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, and seeing Pearl Harbor. He loved family road trips that mixed nature and history and sightseeing, like visiting the set of Ponderosa Ranch of the old TV show "Bonanza" in Nevada, Mt. Rushmore, and Yellowstone.

Russell also instilled his love of sports and being outdoors on his kids. He loved watching all the kids play baseball, and as they grew up, he loved watching his boys play football while his girls were the cutest little cheerleaders ever -- he never missed a practice or a game. He felt lucky that as the boys grew into adults he was able to play with them on the same semi-pro football team, where as the quarterback, he could hand-off to one son, and throw to the other. They went on to win multiple undefeated championships together, with Russell as teammate and also coach. As his direct involvement in football waned, he moved to playing golf with his boys and grandson.

He passed his love of music, even country, to all the kids and grandkids, with most weekends blasting the music through the house on his speakers as everyone played outside. Later, he even got to play his drums while his grandson riffed on the guitar beside him. Even as it grew difficult to go, he continued to look forward to going to his kids' and grandkids games, and always kept in touch with the family to let them know he was thinking of them regardless of the distance.

Professionally, he earned his technical certificate in ceramic tile and stone in 1993. He was an accomplished stone mason, specializing in granite and marble. He worked on five-star resorts in Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Denver, and numerous LDS temples around the western U.S., even getting to hand-select some of the stone that would be used from the quarry. He was especially proud of his work on the University of Utah Rice Eccles stadium red towers preceding their presentation at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He was a union member of the BAC Local 1 in Hawaii and the BAC Local 13 in Las Vegas as a stone mason. He was a natural mentor to every crew he worked with, always taking pride in working toward perfect and encouraging them to strive for better than "good enough."

He had a gruff and tough look that was only skin deep. He had a fun and goofy sense of humor and loved playing games. He was a kind and compassionate man who believed in the best of everyone and gave everyone a chance. If he was able to lend a hand, even to strangers, he would, from giving rides to hitchhikers to taking in the homeless. He had an extra soft spot for animals, always accepting strays, and seeking out opportunities for rescues. He especially loved his dogs and cats that he would call "the kids."

Russell is preceded in death by his brother, David. Survived by his wife, Lisa, parents Lee and Jeanne, brothers Ron and Dan, sons Jeff and Greg (Raney), daughters Jen (pup Kira) and Jaz (Jason), and six grandchildren - Ikaika, Kekoa, Kawika, Leilani, Kaili'i, and Dean.

The family will be hosting a pot-luck style celebration of Russell's life, with music and activities, in Utah on August 23, 2024 at Southwood Park, 6150 S 725 E, Murray, UT 84107 from 5p-9p. A second celebration will be held in Nevada on August 31, 2024 at 4724 Cedar Ranch Court, North Las Vegas, NV 89031 from 2p-5p.