J. Brent Wood

Joseph Brent Wood, 79 years old, completed his mission here on earth and joined his wife in heaven on May 20, 2019.  Brent grew up in Layton, Utah, the son of Clifford and Gertrude Wood, he was the youngest of 9 children.  He grew up spending time at his father’s service station in Clearfield.  He learned to work hard both at the store and at school.  Brent did well at academics and he enjoyed clubs and sports in high school.  He attended college at the University of Utah where he received his law degree in 1966.  He served a mission to Virginia for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Brent lived in Cleveland, Ohio working as a business attorney and spent time doing law work in Washington D.C. for a congressional committee.  Brent returned to Utah to find a wife, start a family, and pursue law and other entrepreneurial efforts.  Brent met Kathryn on a blind date and they were married 46 years when Kathryn passed in 2018.  They brought up their 5 children in Orem, Utah.

While practicing law, he pursued many business ideas including a car rental company, an art gallery, and ultimately government contract work in aerospace and aircraft parts distribution and manufacturing for the airlines.

He spent the majority of his life and time building his businesses, Wencor, Kitco, and Dixie Aerospace which gave him great joy.  His employees often became like family to him.  In the late 1980s Kitco was named the U.S. Government Contractor of the Year for the 8 intermountain states.  In 2005 Brent was named the entrepreneur of the year for the greater Utah area by Ernst and Young.  In 2016, Brent and Kathryn were given the UVU Legacy Award and in 2017 Brent was given an honorary doctorate of education from Utah Valley University.

Brent pursued his church callings with the same effort he pursued business but he did it with a different side of his personality.  Brent was a Bishop (a family ward and a BYU student ward), a Branch President (MTC and at a care facility), a stake executive secretary at BYU, and many other callings.  These callings gave him the chance to love and serve those in the wards and branches of the church.  Brent had a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and did his best to live a good life.

Brent supported many charitable causes including Autism which held a special place in his heart due to a few grandchildren being on the spectrum.  After his retirement, he spent much of his effort on the autism cause through creating Clear Horizons Academy and supporting other entities such as UVU and Utah Autism Academy.  He also believed strongly in causes that encouraged improvement for others through self reliance, an orphanage in Haiti, and other charities.  He gave much to others, often quietly, and he gave to the community at large.  Brent believed that because God had blessed him, he would bless others.  “Because I have been given much, I too must give.”

Brent is survived by his brother Calvin Wood of Bountiful, Utah and his children: foster daughter Diana Ptacek of Atlanta, Georgia; Bryan (Angela) Wood of Mapleton, Utah; Tiffany Wood Drake of Highland, Utah; Chris (Nani) Wood of Lindon, Utah; and Kasondra (Steve) Hurst of St. George, Utah as well as 14 grandchildren.

Brent is preceded in death by his wife Kathryn Pryor Wood, his grandson Eric Zachary Wood, his parents Clifford and Gertrude Willey Wood and siblings Clifford Junior Wood, Amy Jean Sanders, Mary Van Wagner, Vonda Yarbrough, Baby Wood, Maudell Stamey, and Lynn Wood.

Services for Brent will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 11:00 am at the Sunset Heights Stake Center (1260 South 400 West, Orem, Utah 84058).  Viewings will be held Wednesday evening, May 22, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Sunberg-Olpin Mortuary (495 State St, Orem, UT 84058) and on Thursday from 9:30 am - 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, donate to a great charity such as the Food and Care Coalition in Provo.  https://foodandcare.org