Brent Hart

Brent Jardine Hart died in his home in Boise, Idaho, on Friday December 6, 2024, surrounded by his wife and all five of his boys. He was 80 years old.

Brent was born June 26, 1944, to Nellis Jardine Hart and Merlin Fisher Hart. He grew up in Louisville, Idaho, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, with his brother and three sisters. He attended Idaho Falls High School and then continued on to college. Soon after starting college, he paused his education to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in the Canadian-Alaska Mission. After returning home, he continued his college education and graduated in economics with a minor in accounting from Weber State University. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Navy as an officer. He went on to become a naval aviator and flew in the VWI weather squadron and also flew reconnaissance missions into Vietnam. He also served as the chief fuels officer on the air-craft carrier USS Forrestal.

Brent married Pamela Jane Fairbourne on June 28, 1968, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Their first son, Brent Franklin, was born in Agana, Guam, while Brent was posted there during his military service. This started their family of five sons. Their second son, John Phillip was born in 1972 in Ogden, Utah; their third son, Matthew Sheridan, in Idaho Falls in 1974; their fourth son, Timothy Joseph, born 1976 in Coupeville, Washington, and their fifth son, James Richard, in 1981, back in Idaho Falls.

His military service and other work opportunities had them living around the world before settling in Idaho Falls. From there, Brent put his enduring work ethic into practice as an accountant and then manager of several department stores, before starting his own property management firm and becoming a real estate agent. It was from their small home on Barlow Drive that Brent and Pamela raised their five boys and watched them go on to college and begin families of their own.

In 1992, Brent suffered a traumatic brain injury while on vacation in Montana and would have perished without the heroic efforts of three of his boys and his wife Pamela. Because of this injury, he had to apply that same unending work ethic from his military and private careers toward his own long, arduous recovery. It took everything he had, every day, to be the man that he wanted to be for Pamela, his boys, and his grandchildren. May all of us work half as hard to achieve our goals in our brief time on this earth.

Brent enjoyed traveling and was able to travel around the country for the birth of each grandchild and to visit his sons and their families. He and Pamela also traveled to the Holy Land, to Germany, to Paris, and to Austria. Always, his favorite places to visit were the homes of his children.

Brent and Pamela served a mission for the LDS Church in 2015-2016 in Leesville, Louisiana. Their mission included working with young men and women serving in the military at Fort Polk Military Installation, as well as providing service to the community and health care for the missionaries.

In 2016, while serving on their mission, Brent was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, likely stemming from exposure to agent orange during his service in Vietnam. In 2018 this led, in part, to Brent and Pamela moving to Boise to be closer to their boys and grandchildren. From there they continued to enjoy their retirement while making an immediate impact on a new church group and neighbors.

Brent loved his wife, his sons, and his grandchildren intensely and unconditionally. He is survived by his wife, Pamela; his five children, Brent, John, Matthew, Timothy, and James; and his fourteen grandchildren: Angela, Logan, Lily, Emerson, Avery, Thomas, Maddie, Keller, Jaycen, Caleb, Henry, Isla, Lua, and Michael. He is also survived by his brother Ron Hart, and his sisters, Annette Curtis, Sallie Hobbs, and Becky Casperson.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue, Idaho Falls, Idaho. The family will visit with friends from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will be in the Lewisville Cemetery.