On July 29, 1957, an amazing thing happened. Dane Packard Brewer was born. He was a tour de force from the beginning. As a child, he was naughty because his mind was constantly on the go. “I was just curious,” he later explained. At age six, Dane announced to the neighborhood kids that he would be in charge. You get the picture. This confidence and intellectual prowess served him well in becoming an outstanding student at Skyline High School. With a major in electrical engineering, he graduated from the “U,” and shortly after, he introduced himself to Tom Stockham. This is the man who was inventing the very first compact disc. He told Dane that he needed experience before he could hire him, and so Dane asked if he could be his janitor. Hence, they became great friends, and Dane credits him with not only teaching him but propelling him into establishing his own business called Advantec. Advantec was extremely successful, and after selling that business, Dane eventually moved to Moab, Utah. He then created a private commercial investment company and served on the Moab Housing Authority board. It was also in Moab that Dane met the love of his life, Wendy Wuthrich. They adored each other and were a team in every sense of the word.
Dane was amazing. His life was adventuresome and interesting. He could retell stories in great detail (sometimes, too much detail). Dane Brewer made friends everywhere he went. He was so incredibly smart, always handsome, gregarious, fun, and generous. A remarkable man. He left us too soon, but he left an ineffable mark.
Dane’s father is Brigadier General Tom Brewer. They had equal admiration for each other. His mother is Julene Packard Brewer. She is a gorgeous woman with a great sense of humor. They were best friends. Chad West Brewer is his brother. Chad and Dane are complete opposites, but Dane loved him the minute he was born, and Chad returned the favor. Trent Larsen, Chad’s husband, became like another brother as well.
He is survived by his mother, his brother, his daughter Paige (Donovan), and stepchildren Audrey (Zach), Zoe, Isabel, and Eddie.
A celebration of Life will be on Friday, July 18, 2025 at 3:00pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106. Guests are encouraged to park on the north side of the building. And a second celebration will be on Tuesday, July 29th at Hoo Doo Hilton Curio Hotel, 111 N 100 W, Moab, UT.
