Bro Brian on his BDay

Today is my brother Brian's Birthday and though I have not seen him much over the last number of years, I continue to talk to him somewhat regularly via phone and email. I remember lots of stories about my brother Brian, you can say lots of things about Brian but my relationship with my older brother has been nothing if not colorful. Brian is a dear brother that I love with all my heart who is as Kelly has said loyal and true to a fault! Following is a is a quick list of some memories that I have of my brother and of course these memories are from my memory so the reality may be slightly different, as both time and my memory may have morphed them somewhat.

My first memories are of a very tough brother who took on every bully on our street, several times all of them at once, because they were calling him and me Whatnot instead of our given name of Whatcott. Then helpful brother who taught me never, never, never to give up by holding me down and giving me chicken noodle soup on the chest until I cried uncle and then slugged me in the arm 50 times for giving up, I believe this treatment is what got me through engineering school. (Okay maybe it wasn't 50 times but I swear that arm still hurts when I think about it) The brother who with me tried the paper sack and cedar bark cigars rolled by our next door neighbor when we were 5 & 8 years old, let me tell you we inhaled deeply one time and we were coughing for a week, to my knowledge neither of us ever tried a smoke of any kind again ever.

This was my brother who cut a swath so wide a swath through Junior High and High School that often times it was hard for me to follow. I remember one time in 7th grade rounding a corner in Gym locker room and taking a punch in the stomach from a very large intimidating 9th grader and him saying thats for being Brian's brother. And yet on another occasion the largest kid in the 9th grade saying leave that kid alone he is Brian Whatcott's brother, in fact a number of the teachers in Math, Utah history, wrestling, & science didn't know my first name but just called me Brian's brother. Brian had been so good in Math, Science, Wrestling that he was a legend there in Farrer Junior High, Brian was so brilliant in math that he later placed in the national math contest in High School.

Brian has always been a great athlete and mountaineer, he has the ability to put physical pain behind him and thus has great endurance. Brian excelled at Wrestling at Provo High School where I believe his record as a Sophomore was 26 wins and only 2 losses. Brian participated as a scout in the 50 20 which was 50 miles in 20 hours, Brian started hours later than anyone else at about 2am because he had another activity to attend, but he ran when he got there until he passed everyone and once he was ahead a ways he laid down on the road and slept until the first group caught up to him when the found him the road the thought he was dead, they kicked him and he woke up. Brian got up and finished with the hike with first group, starting last and finishing first. In his older years Brian has been solo hiking the higest 50 peaks in the US in each state, despite his sometimes not being in the best shape Brian has already finished many of the higest peaks. Brian has incredible drive!!!


Brian was especially helpful with my dating life, I was a very shy backward kid who would rather talk to fish all day than talk to a girl for a second. When I was 14 & Brian was 17, Brian had somehow scored the key to a very, very cool cave up our local canyon (Rock Canyon) and he and his friends had made a rope ladder for the descent into a a huge room full of stalactites, soda straws, and stalagmites. He told me the only way he would allow me to go to this cave with him is if I got a date to go with me. After many agonizing hours, I finally called the 14 year old sister of Brian's girlfriend and asked her to go with me to the Cave. Mr. Losee whom I'm now sure must have been insane let his 14 and 17 year old daughters go up Rock Canyon and descend into a hole in the mountain at least 100's of feet at least 40 of them were vertical free swinging feet, on a rope ladder made of pine 2X2s and hemp rope, in Junior High School wood shop, with two Whatcott brothers 14 & 17. Due to Brian's great leadership and mountaineering experience we all had a great time and made it out just fine with the exception of one very smashed up lantern of my dad's. So thanks to a brother who encouraged me strongly to go on my first date, I pretty much figured it out from there.

For further help in the dating department Brian taught me how to drive his old beater car, when I was 15 by taking me out on Sundays and letting me drive from one of his girlfriends houses to the next as we made "Sunday Visits" to the beautiful and refined. Thanks to a brother willing to drag a chubby awkward brother along to see his girlfriends.

Then in college when I thought I wanted to go to Utah Technical College Brian took me up to BYU and showed me what Electrical Engineers did. I was very intimidated, Brian let me know just how hard it was, but also that I could do it! After all I was a Whatcott, and Whatcott's don't give up, and besides he would not let me fail!!! I didn't fail, I once again followed my Brother, this time through BYU and Electrical Engineering, I made it through despite my doubts and some very difficult and trying times. I don't think my brother Brian every doubted I would, though I did on a number of occasions!

Happy Birthday Bro!!!!!