Stephen Brent Strand

Stephen Brent Strand, age 60, passed away Thursday, May 16, 2013, at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, with his loving wife by his side. He was born January 2, 1953 in Topeka, Kansas to Harold Dean Strand and Joanne L. Remsburg Strand. He grew up in Idaho Falls and graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1971, where he competed in tennis, track, and cross country. He was also in the Ski Club and IF Club. In 1971, he married Cindy Catmull with whom he had two wonderful children, Maegan and Christian. They later divorced. Brent served in the U.S. Air Force as a warehouseman from 1971 to 1989, having earned the rank of sergeant. He served two deployments to Seoul, S. Korea during the Vietnam War and worked at Malmstrom, Hill, and Eielson Air Force bases in Montana, Utah, and Alaska, respectively. After serving in the military, he worked mostly in housing construction for Mickleson Marble, Silver Creek Construction, and building roads for HK Construction. Later, he worked for Idaho National Laboratory, performing deconstruction on decommissioned nuclear facilities. In 1997, he married Allason Ford Smith. Together they remodeled their 10th St. arts & crafts home in Idaho Falls when they weren’t out playing darts in local clubs and traveling to visit family around the country. They especially loved the thrill of riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles with friends and found a welcoming home within the local biker community. Brent was creative & artistic, enjoyed woodworking, and fishing. At one time, he was also a formidable golfer who could drive a ball 400 yards and consistently shoot par scores. He liked to help others, was very friendly, and energetic. He had a knack for making people laugh, could ‘tell a yarn,’ and was known to occasionally ‘burn the candle at both ends.’ He will be sorely missed by the many lives he touched and inspired. Brent is survived by his wife Allason, of Idaho Falls; sister, Dena (Brent) Rowe, of Idaho Falls; sister, Terri Jo (Terry) Roberts, of Idaho Falls; brother, Bradley John Strand, of Twin Falls, Idaho; daughter, Maegan Monique (Nate) Peck, of Sandy, Utah; Brent son, Christian Strand, of Ogden, Utah; grandson, Zachary “Bam Bam” Peck; step-children, Beverly (Vince) van Joolen, of Severna Park, Maryland; Jacqueline K. Hill, of Lewisville, Idaho; Jeffery F.M. (Marla) Hill, of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho; mother-in-law, Marjorie B. Smith, of Rexburg, Idaho, and seven step-grandchildren, Adam & Nic Croft, Skylar & Bronwyn van Joolen, Alaire Hill, and Mekenzie and Kennedy Hill; and four great-grandchildren, Kiara, Josh, & Andrew Croft and Reagan Croft. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Valor House, which provides housing for homeless veterans. An account will be set up for this purpose at Westmark Credit Union in Brent’s honor. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at Lewisville 1st Ward LDS Chapel. The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, at Eckersell Memorial Chapel, 101 West Main Street, Rigby, and from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Sutton Cemetery under the direction of Eckersell Memorial Chapel in Rigby.