Birth date: Nov 29, 1974 Death date: Sep 9, 2023
Spread Cheer and Joy! Kent Gardner Nielson passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on Saturday, September 9, 2023. He was 48. Kent was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. Kent loved life. His motto wa Read Obituary
I considered Kent my best friend from age 8-11 when his family moved. I was a shy and sensitive kid when we moved in. His little brother, Jeff, called me a dickhead and I started crying. Kent scolded Jeff and convinced me not to run home but to stay and play. He made me feel seen and like I belonged (even though he was a far better skier, tennis player, and capture the flag soldier than I could ever hope to be. Travel well, my friend…
I consider myself very blessed to have been able to work and travel with Kent through work. Kent was probably the most genuine person I've ever met. Whatever I was working on he was sincerely interested in it and always offered to help in any way. We are sending our sincerest thoughts and prayers to his family and friends during this difficult time!
Kent was one the few people in this world that truly made me feel seen.
He was genuine & sincere. I enjoyed our chats. He always made the days so much brighter.
Kent was such a genuine and happy man! I was priviliged to know him from working at Diamond Wireless. Once, Kent and Jeff flew out to meet with the leadership team in Southern California. We were at dinner and I vividly remember Kent realizing it was time for him to call his family .He stopped talking mid-stream and excused himself from dinner to go call Danielle and the kids. When he came back, he was just beaming and energized from the call. I can't remember what the specific situation was, but one of his kids just hit a milestone like losing a tooth learning to ride a bike or something...but I remember him saying he was so glad he had stopped to go make the call and shared the advice with us to always be sure to have focused attention with those who are important to you, especially when you were away or working a lot, just take time to listen and connect without distractions. That's a great lesson I've always carried with me through hundreds of business trips the past 6-8 years.
The other thing that comes to mind is that Kent was always smiling. I don't ever remember seeing him without a genuine, happy smile.
Kent, you will be missed. God be with you and your loved ones!
I was able to work with Kent for a short while at Midwest. He was always willing and able to help me when I needed it. He had a great outlook on life. A great example of living life to the fullest and loving others.
Kent,
I remenber the bread classs you taught at Midwest. "It's the most amazing bread" and I am going to make this in honor of you. You always said hello and asked how I am doing when our path crossed
Thank you for being you and sharing your gift of baking
Oh man...Kent Nielson. What an incredibly good human being. He was always up for whatever life was bringing to the table. His smile and laugh were unforgettable and so was his energy. He will be missed by so many, because he brought so damn much to so many in this life. You are forever in our hearts and memories. All the love to his family & friends, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!!
I met Kent when I he was 11 years old. He was my first Utah friend. I have many fond memories of him from time spent together in Salt Lake, Logan and Denver. My favorite memory of Kent was him shooting bottle rockets at me in fifth grade as I ran around his backyard. He will be missed.
Kent was always so positive and happy when he came in to the studio. Everybody loved chatting with him and he remembered little special details about everyone. It made them feel so seen and loved. We will miss his bright light and positive energy. So much love to all of his family. You are all so loved. We are here for you. Xx
