Keith Brent Gulbransen

Our beloved husband, dad, son, brother, and Papa, Keith Brent Gulbransen, age 56, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2026, surrounded by his family. After a courageous journey, his body is finally able to rest, free from pain. We find comfort knowing he was welcomed into heaven by so many loved ones who have gone before him.

Keith was born on January 22, 1970, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Frank Erling and Dorothy Yardley Gulbransen. He grew up in the Sugarhouse area and graduated from Highland High School in 1988. He was a hard worker and learned his strong work ethic from working alongside his dad from a young age.

He married the love of his life, Kimberly Louise Cannaday, on August 2, 1988, and was later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they built a beautiful life and family and were blessed with seven children. He was also a proud Papa to eight grandchildren, with one on the way, who brought him immeasurable joy.

Throughout his life, Keith was known for being hardworking, generous, determined, and thoughtful. Those who knew him will always remember his ability to design and create projects. If he could dream it, he could build it. He was always working on a project around his home and left his mark in a brand-new kitchen, bookshelves, an office, and a basement apartment. He was a true Utah Utes fan, and one of his proudest builds was a giant “U” that would light up red on Utah game days. If you ever visited Keith, you would also know that if there was a game on, no matter the sport, it would be on his TV.

He was also known for his incredible sense of humor. He loved a good prank and was the king of dad jokes. Even when he was not feeling well in the hospital, his pranks and jokes were entertaining to all who got lucky enough to experience them. Being around him made your day better. You knew you were always going to laugh, even if it was the third time he had told the same joke. Making people laugh seemed like his life mission, and he was good at it.

From the age of 14, Keith started mowing lawns, which he continued doing and turned into a successful business and career. He started his own business, Keith’s Professional Landscape Services, in 1999 and continued it up until his final days. He had an eye for creativity and the beauty of landscape. He loved the many friends this business brought him, his loyal customers, and his dedicated employees. He truly cared for each and every one of you, and we thank each of you for the impact you had on Keith and his business.

Keith especially loved being outdoors. He loved snowmobiling, skiing, off-roading, fishing, boating, water skiing, and going on family vacations. Sharing his passions with his family brought him his greatest joy. When his children were young, supporting them in their interests consumed his life. His sons will never forget the time he spent as a coach of their sports teams, and his daughters will always remember that his seat in the audience was never empty.

In May 2025, he was incredibly blessed to be the recipient of a heart transplant at the University of Utah Hospital. We want to thank his heart donor for blessing us with the greatest gift: more time. His indomitable spirit and determined attitude helped him fight through things that we never thought someone could endure. We will never forget how he never gave up and fought to the very end. He would not have been able to do this without the expertise, work, and care of the doctors, nurses, and staff at the University of Utah Hospital. We would especially like to thank the staff on the Cardiac Transplant, Pulmonary, Thoracic Surgery, ENT, Infectious Disease, Palliative Care, Critical Care, Physical Therapy, and Respiratory Therapy teams who worked tirelessly to ensure that he stayed with us for as long as he did.

Keith was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had a true testimony of the gospel and loved the Savior. One of his very favorite callings was serving as a temple ordinance worker at the Bountiful Utah Temple. He looked forward each Saturday to going to serve and always came home with a spiritual story to tell. He lived his life with a true testimony of faith and the power of prayer. When things got hard, he taught us to drop to our knees and pray for guidance. Throughout all the hard times our family went through, he led us with this same faith he taught. His leadership, prayers, and belief in the Savior helped us to do hard things and see many miracles.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Kimberly; his children, Alexandra (Brandon) Fegenbush, McKenzie, Taylor (Sydney), Ashlyn (Austin) Simister, Hayden (Emma), and Mitchell; his grandchildren, Hayes, Emma, Lily, Samuel, Sloane, Brody, Charles, and Jordan; his sister, Kathy (Clint) Cooper; his parents, Frank and Dorothy Gulbransen; in-laws, Rich (Pam) Cannaday, Jeff Sanders; his nieces and nephews; and many extended family members and friends who loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his son, Maxwell; his brothers, Kevin and Kyle; his grandparents, Thomas and Loa Yardley, Frank Gulbransen Sr. and Lila Jensen; in-laws, Richard and Sondra Cannaday; and his sister-in-law, Ann Sanders.

A viewing will be held on Friday, August 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City. The funeral will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Maple Hills Chapel, 1320 E. 1975 S., Bountiful, on Saturday, August 8, at 11:00 a.m., with a viewing from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. The interment will take place following the funeral services at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive in Millcreek. For those wishing to attend the service virtually, please click on the "watch services" button above.

His wife will forever be grateful for the 38 years they shared together. His children will carry with them the lessons he taught them. His grandchildren will grow up hearing his stories. His laughter and personality will continue to live on through every generation. We know that Keith’s reunion with our Savior was glorious. We find peace in knowing that families are forever, that he has been reunited with our loved ones who have gone before, including his son, Max. We will miss him more than words can express. His laugh, his stories, his love, and the memories he gave us will live on in our hearts forever. Until we meet again in heaven, we love you!