Bert Pierson Cundick

Bert Pierson Cundick was born on September 18, 1931, at Bingham Hospital in Utah. He was named after his Swedish uncle, Bernt Adamson. Bert was raised in Sandy, Utah, on what was known as the "Pierson block," where his grandfather Pierson had gifted a building lot to each of his children upon their marriage, and where Bert's father, Milton, built the family home. Bert was the son of Milton and Florence Cundick, and grew up during the Great Depression, learning early the value of hard work and self-reliance.

From a young age, Bert worked steadily. He picked watermelons and sugar beets, working as a school janitor, pouring concrete, building demolition and general labor, driving trucks, working briefly in a rolling mill, and spending time as a lookout for the National Forest Service. He began his studies at the University of Utah, before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden at age 19. Shortly after his return, he enlisted in the United States Army and served during the Korean War, stationed in Germany with a transportation battalion, where he worked in the main office writing reports, correspondence, and newspaper articles. He then returned to the University of Utah, completing his Bachelor's and Master's degrees before pursuing his Ph.D. in Psychology at The Ohio State University.

During a visit home one summer, he was set up on a blind date with Sylvia Louise Wheelwright. Within five weeks they were engaged, and five weeks after that, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

Bert joined Brigham Young University, initially at the BYU Counseling Center before transitioning to a faculty position in the Clinical Psychology program, where he spent 35 years. He was instrumental in the development of BYU's Comprehensive Clinic, which provides supervised training for graduate students in psychotherapy and psychological assessment. He served for many years as Training Director of the Clinical and School Psychology programs, and in 1976–1977 served as President of the Utah Psychological Association. He was a dedicated mentor, and many of his students remained in contact with him long after his retirement.

Bert loved classical music and played both bassoon and saxophone, the latter for a time with a dance band in college. He and Sylvia shared a musical life together. He loved the outdoors and took his family to remarkable places. He was an avid fisherman, camper, birdwatcher, and in his earlier years, a hunter. In retirement, he and Sylvia traveled widely in pursuit of birds, and he enjoyed sharing his love of fishing and the natural world with his grandchildren. He was a committed Scouting leader who led many hiking trips through southern Utah and in the Uinta mountains. He served as Bishop of a BYU ward. He enjoyed the card game "500," western novels, and time with his family, which he always named as his greatest accomplishment.

Sylvia passed away on October 2, 2009, after a fifteen-year battle with cancer. During her prolonged decline, Bert provided devoted care, companionship, and demonstrated extraordinary love. She spent most of her final year in a hospital bed in the front room of their home, facing picture windows where she could watch the birds visiting the feeders that he kept well-stocked. He missed her every day that followed.

In his final years, Bert remained in the home his wife had designed and he had lived in for more than sixty years, surrounded by his father's finish carpentry, and the art he and Sylvia had accumulated. His eldest son, Clay, honored Bert's wish to remain at home and cared for him until the end. Bert died there on August 23, 2026, at the age of 94.

Bert is survived by his three children: Clay (Jean) Cundick, Kirt (Sheryl) Cundick, and Kristin (Mike) Croyle; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and his younger sister, Carol (Grover) Hoopes.

A memorial service will be held on September 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 350 East 2950 North, Provo, Utah. A graveside service will follow at the Sandy City Cemetery, 700 East 9000 South, Sandy, Utah, where Bert will be interred beside Sylvia.

In lieu of flowers and to support his lifelong love of nature and birding, please make a donation to The Nature Conservancy, Utah Wildlife Foundation, or The Wilderness Society in his honor.