Bryan Kendrick Thatcher

Bryan Kendrick Thatcher (79) passed away on Sunday, May 31, 2026, with his loving and devoted eternal companion, Loralee, and his eldest son, Michael, by his side. Following a five-year battle with Stage IV cancer, Bryan left this world knowing he was deeply loved.

Bryan is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Loralee, sons Michael, Daniel (Melody), Jonathan (Melissa), Amy Jessop (Tony), Jennifer Baxter (Lance) and 15 grandchildren, Autumn, Ashton, Emma, Caleb, Lincoln, Elsie, Adaline, Savannah, Landon, Kassidy, Macey, Brett, Brenner, Carson, and Chloey. He is preceded in death by his dear son Eric, his nephew Aaron Thatcher, his father and mother in-law Wayne and Marie Pugmire, and his parents Ray and Alda Kendrick Thatcher.

Bryan was born on July 31, 1946, in Logan, Utah where he was the third of five siblings, Carvel, Nila, David, and Julie. Bryan grew up in the small farming community of Morgan, Utah where he had many fond memories of learning to work on his family’s and neighboring farms, milking cows, bailing hay, and participating in various 4-H projects. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He learned the value of an education from his mother, an elementary school teacher, and his father who earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees, the latter while working full time and raising five young children. Bryan also gained a love for music by learning to play the alto saxophone where he went on to play in the Morgan High School and Utah State University Concert Bands.

As a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bryan was thrilled to be called to serve as a 19-year-old missionary to the Australia Mission. For the next two years and a lifetime thereafter, he developed a deep and abiding faith and belief in his Heavenly Father, his Savior, Jesus Christ, and in the Plan of Salvation. He spent much of his two years teaching in the Northern Territory of Darwin, where he grew to love the people and the many opportunities he had to teach the Gospel and serve others. During the final years and months of Bryan’s time on this earth, his memory of many things faded. But of the joy he experienced while on his Australian Mission, he never forgot.

Shortly after returning from Australia, he met who would become the love of his life and his eternal companion, a beautiful, kind, and compassionate young woman named Loralee Pugmire. After a brief courtship, their marriage was solemnized for time and all eternity in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple on December 27, 1968. This is the second of Bryan’s memories that would never fade: the day he walked into a Sunday School class and opted to take a seat next to who would eventually become his wife and whom he lovingly and affectionately referred to as “Lolly” or “Pugs.” He would often recount how fortuitous it was that he would happen to be in just the right place at exactly the right moment to meet and ultimately fall in love with the daughter of one of his mother, Alda’s mission companions, Marie Pugmire, when they both served LDS missions to the Pacific Northwest Mission. Bryan and Loralee met before Marie and Alda had the chance to introduce their children to each other.

Both prior to and following their marriage, Bryan and Loralee attended and graduated from Utah State University where they were on academic scholarships. Bryan graduated from the School of Engineering with a degree in Industrial Technical Education. However, prior to either Bryan or Loralee’s graduation from college, and at the young age of twenty-two for Bryan and almost twenty-one for Loralee, they became first-time parents in late October of 1969 by welcoming the birth of their son, Michael. And, as Michael has often said, he was a rude awakening to his mom and dad’s honeymoon – as if he had any say at all in the matter!

Upon graduation, Bryan completed his Army ROTC training, and the young family set off to Newport News, VA to continue his military commitment. Ultimately, he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1981 having achieved the rank of First Lieutenant.

After Michael’s birth and for the next decade, Bryan and Loralee welcomed three more sons and two daughters into their family. Bryan gradually settled into his role as husband, father, and provider where he proceeded to spend the next fifty years honing his career as a successful entrepreneur and salesman. During that time, he started at least four different enterprises including a propane conversion business, a commercial air-filtration business, a women’s apparel manufacture and wholesale business, and a community guide and calendar publishing business. And, although there were many financial ups and downs for the Thatcher family, if Bryan became discouraged, he never showed it. On the contrary, he was what many would consider to be an eternal optimist.

A decade after Michael was born (followed by Eric, Daniel, and Jonathan), Bryan and Loralee settled in Murray, Utah where they purchased a half-acre plot of land not more than two blocks from where Loralee’s mother, Marie, had located. There they built their first home where for the next 45 years, they raised their children (including the addition of two daughters, Amy and Jennifer), taught them the importance of Gospel principles, education and hard work, and celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries, mission farewells and homecomings, wedding celebrations of their children, and witnessed as their family of six grew to include sons and daughters in-law, and 15 grandchildren. Little did anyone know back in 1979 when construction on their home was completed, that many decades later, Bryan’s final request would be granted: to pass away at home under the watchful care of his family.

Bryan was as good a father and husband as he knew how to be. He spent many nights away from his family “on-the-road” working to provide for them, and a comfortable living he did provide! It was not always easy for him to return home to the chaos of six young children, but he did his best.

Bryan loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was devout and committed to his Faith. Although not one to get teary eyed, on the rare occasion that he did, it was when he spoke of his faith in God and love of the Lord.

As an example of the kind hand of Providence, and without his family knowing he had but a few hours remaining on this earth, all of Bryan and Loralee’s children, their spouses, and grandchildren gathered at the family home to enjoy one of Loralee’s specially prepared meals, to spend time with each other, and to visit with their Dad and grandfather. And then, on a whim, the family gathered in Bryan’s room where he was bed-bound and sang “I am a Child of God” together. He chimed in and sang (or lip synced) all three verses at the conclusion of which he clumsily but joyously clapped his hands in celebration of love, of life and in gratitude for the richest of blessings – his family. Shortly after Dawn the next morning he was gone.

He will be missed, quirks and all, through good times and bad; until we meet again.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Brownstone Chapel, 6410 South 725 East, Murray. Friends are invited to greet the family during the viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the same location.

Bryan will be interred in the Logan, Utah City Cemetery alongside his parents and where generations of Thatcher family members have been laid to rest.