Brent Allen Burt

Those we love remain near when we keep their love and memory a heartbeat away. Although his life here ended much too soon, Brent Burt made a significant impact in the lives of those who knew him best. Fun loving, Brent found joy in everything he did and had a contagious zest for life that was impossible to miss. With his outgoing personality and genuine nature, Brent was more than willing to help others in ways both great and small. Life will never be the same without Brent, but the memories he leaves behind will remain a lasting treasure.An age of technology, the decade of the 1990s was one to remember. With over one million using the internet, the web browser would one day come to make telephone books, encyclopedias and dictionaries nearly obsolete. While Michael Jordan was at the top of his game, computer gaming systems were all the rage with the birth of Nintendo at a time when Operation Desert Storm was on the hearts of many. Yet life for John and Tammi (Durham) Burt was especially eventful in 1991, when on March 20, they announced the birth of their precious little boy, Brent Allen Burt. He joined his older brother, Jarred, and the two created an unspoken bond that remained for years to come.A sweet and happy boy, Brent enjoyed a childhood filled with boyhood adventure and neighborhood friends. From an early age, his love for cars was obvious. By the time he was six years old, young Brent could even fix a radiator. Through the years memorable and fun-filled times with family were enjoyed, especially during the holidays and numerous other family celebrations. Although he was never one for sports, Brent enjoyed watching his big brother on the football field and always cheered him on from the stands. Brent graduated from St. Charles High School in 2009. He went on to study diesel mechanics at the Universal Technical Institute which served Brent well.One of Brent's first jobs included changing oil for Walz Chevrolet in Winona. He loved driving semis for Wal-Mart, sometimes even driving as far as Texas. He was a good teacher, and even taught his dad how to a drive semi, and how to use air brakes, which John struggled with for a time. Brent was most recently employed by the CD Corporation and was looking forward to beginning his new job in Chatfield, Minnesota in several weeks. He loved the open road and like the rapport between some of the semi drivers. Brent carried a picture of his uncle, Jim Scott, in his truck. Also a truck driver before his untimely death, Brent always considered him to be his special guardian angel, especially when on the road.Life for Brent completely changed when he met Brittany Scharmer at a mutual friend's New Year's Eve party. A pretty young woman, Brittany captured Brent's heart from the moment they met. They began dating, and even deemed Brent's black Chevy as their, "date truck." After four years of friendship and deeply in love, Brent proposed to Brittany on a beautiful summer's day this past June 6, 2015. Brent was a hopeless romantic, and Brittany often teased Brent for being such a dork, but he went to great lengths to make sure this was a special day to remember. With the help of Brittany's siblings and with cameras at the ready, he mowed a huge heart in their family's pasture which conveyed his unending love for her. He never bought Brittany flowers as she really didn't care for them, but he'd often bring her cereal, which she loved. They were planning on an August 6, 2016 wedding, and most of the details were already in place. Brittany said they could have gotten married tomorrow. They were that happy together.In his free time, Brent loved hunting and fishing. He did a lot of grilling on an old, ugly charcoal grill, but the food always tasted great, especially a tenderly grilled cowboy rib-eye steak, his favorite. Rescued as puppies, Brent loved his two canine companions, Diesel, a lab mix, and Detroit, a wiener dog who were never far from his side. Brent's love for cars went to the next level when he recently got into racing. In fact, he took third place at the Winona County Fair this summer. Having owned 26 cars in his lifetime, some were cheap, beater cars that Brent worked on to later sell for a profit. His first vehicle at the age of 16 was a 1991 Chevy truck. He liked revving up the engine, and to the dismay of nearby neighbors, he loved peeling out, leaving clear track marks behind him. A true daredevil, Brent liked life on the edge. One time his brother had him change the tires on his motorcycle, and Brent wrapped the old tires around his body and drove the motorcycle all the way back to Altura!Brent enjoyed taking Jarred for rides in his semi, listening to old country music. Brent really looked up to his older brother, and Jarred was inspired by Brent, just the same. They always had each other's backs, and remained close. Just recently they shared a great time together at Buffalo Wild Wings, Brent's treat, when Brent asked Jarred to be a groomsman in his wedding. Jarred always told Brent that when he had a son, he would turn him into a football player. Jarred was looking forward to being an uncle.Brent and Jarred lived across the hall from each other in an apartment building and would often hang out and watch TV together. Sometimes Brent would wake Jarred up early in the morning and invite him to breakfast. When Jarred said he needed time to get showered and ready, Brent would say, "Are you serious? Quit being a Sally!" He was always giving Jarred a hard time. Brent was also known for other quips. With enthusiasm about something, he'd exclaim, "This is awesome!" "Heck yeah!" "My god" "Thatta kid" and, "Let me fix that quick" were other favorites. Naturally gifted in this area, Brent could fix anything.One of a kind, Brent was the type of guy who would help anyone, anytime, anywhere. He was a daredevil, a jokester, and an inspiration for many. It didn't matter what he was doing or where he was, Brent found joy in everything. Especially close to his heart was the woman he lovingly adored, the family he held close, and those he called friend. May his memory forever remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.Brent Allen Burt, age 24, of St. Charles, died Thursday, August 27, 2015. He is survived by his mother, Tammi Burt of Elgin; his father, John Burt of St. Charles; brother, Jarred Burt of Eyota; fiancée, Brittany Scharmer of Winona; paternal grandfather, Wally Burt; and maternal grandfather, Richard Durham; several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Brent was preceded in death by his grandmas, Marlis Burt and Betty Durham; and uncles, Kerry Durham and Jim Scott, his guardian angel.A gathering of family and friends will be held from 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, September 1 at Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service in St. Charles and also one hour prior to the service. A memorial service for Brent will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 2 at the funeral home led by Funeral Celebrant, Jenny Hoff. A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred. Please share a memory or photo of Brent with his family, view his video tribute, and sign his online guest book at www.hofffuneral.com.
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/625929