Brian Keith Bennett

Brian Keith Bennett (55) passed away on January 8, 2021 due to complications from pancreatic cancer.
Brian was born in Fullerton, California on September 14, 1965. He graduated from school and continued on to receive a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Utah. In 1997, he married Angela Marie Martinsen and together they had two loving children, Hannah (22) and David (18), who remain devoted to helping make the world a better place because of who their father was. Over the last decade of his life, Brian was a Division Chief of the Life Sciences Division at Dugway Proving Ground where he inspired and was inspired by his colleagues each and every day.

Brian was a chemist by day and a jazz pianist by night and spent many evenings tickling those ivories with the fantastic musicians of the Dee Dee Darby Duffin Quintet. He enjoyed entertaining his friends with tokens of his famous freshly baked bread and intelligent conversation. His voice retained a timbre of genuine interest when he spoke to anyone; you always knew he cared. Brian's self-described greatest achievement in his lifetime was his family. His son inherited his musical prowess and his daughter was gifted with his eloquent charm. He often referred to Angie as "his best friend" and was always able to fix anything she broke when he was away on business. Fun Fact: Brian's laugh was not subject to simple physics and is still travelling the boundaries of space and time to this day.

Brian is survived by his doting wife Angie and his adoring children Hannah and David as well as his brother Gregg Bennett and his sister Missy Heinz and her husband Doug. He is preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Patricia Bennett; his mother and father in law, Louis and Patricia Bennett.

Flowers and small gifts may be sent to his family's residence at 444 Country Club, Stansbury Park, Utah 84074. There will be no memorial service. Instead, his family will heed his wish to have "a big (explicative) party" to honor his legacy to be announced at a later date in the coming months. The Bennett Family wishes to thank Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah Hospital for their support as well as Salt Lake Valley Mortuary for their thoughtful care.

The battle was short, but the final outcome remains no less painful or confusing to process than a years-long war. Brian was someone you didn't forget; an irreplaceable man whose authenticity was his most prized quality. All who had the privilege of meeting him will miss him dearly.