Brent Eugene Barrus was born at home in Fairview, Wyoming, on the twenty-first day of October 1934. He was the second of seven children. The family lived on a farm and milked 10 to 20 cows by hand.
At 10 years old, the family left Wyoming and moved to Wendell, Idaho. Brent met Luana while attending Ricks College in Rexburg, and not long after, they were married in the Logan Temple. Their first child, Paul, joined the family in February 1954.
Shortly after, Brent was called to serve in the LDS Eastern States Mission. The family moved near Luana’s parents in Nampa for support during his mission. Brent was one of the last missionaries called to serve while leaving a family at home.
Upon returning, Brent held a number of jobs and pursued various business ventures. He began farming, but after calculating his income at the end of the year, decided to seek other opportunities. He went on to own and operate a Sinclair gas station in Nampa and later became a journeyman glazier.
His glazing experience led him to establish his own business, Meridian Glass, in 1976. Through this, he contributed to building projects across most of the western United States. During these busy years, Joyce, Joe, Lynette, and Wes were welcomed into the family.
Brent was deeply involved in his church and community. He served in numerous roles, including PTA president, Elders Quorum president, scoutmaster, and volunteer with a quick response unit. In his free time, he enjoyed square dancing, fishing, and hunting.
After selling the glass shop, Brent and Luana served three full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They served in Nigeria, Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland.
Even in retirement, Brent remained active. He bought a backhoe and found joy in helping family, neighbors, and friends with various projects. He also continued his love for adventure with fishing and hunting trips to Alaska, Canada, and Mexico, often accompanied by loved ones.
Brent leaves behind five children, more than sixteen grandchildren, and over ten great-grandchildren, along with many in-laws, extended family members, and others he simply claimed as his own.
