Brent Humphreys, 51, passed away peacefully in his home on March 2, 2025, in West Plains, Missouri, surrounded by his family.
Born on October 12, 1973, in West Plains, Missouri, Brent pursued a passion for learning and innovation, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. His inquisitive mind and love for all things technical shaped both his career and personal interests.
Brent’s enthusiasm for life was evident in the many hobbies he embraced. His greatest passion was flying, and he dedicated himself to sharing that love with others. As an active member of the Young Eagles Program and his EAA Chapter in Willow Springs, Missouri, he introduced young people to aviation by offering airplane rides and helping them secure scholarships for flying lessons. Through these efforts, he inspired countless aspiring pilots to pursue their dreams.
Beyond aviation, Brent found joy in traveling the world with his wife, Erica. Together, they explored new places and captured their adventures through photography. Whether navigating backroads or soaring through the skies, Brent approached every journey with curiosity and excitement. He also had a deep appreciation for all things technical—embracing what he fondly called “nerdy” pursuits with enthusiasm and expertise.
Brent’s faith in God was a cornerstone of his life. It became even more significant as he faced his battle with cancer, leaning on his faith for strength and resilience. Despite the challenges he endured, Brent never gave up. His joyful nature and kindness won him admiration wherever he went, leaving a lasting impact on those who knew him.
A joyful light has left the world with Brent’s passing, and those who had the privilege of knowing him will deeply feel his absence. May his memory continue to inspire kindness, passion, and perseverance in all who remember him.
Brent is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Lawrence and Dorothy Grooms, his paternal grandparents, Chester and Hazel (Tommy) Humphreys, and his aunt, Chalma Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Erica (Shelton), his in-laws, Richard and Bessie Shelton, his parents, Powell and Anita Humphreys, sister Michelle (Joe) Thomason, nieces and nephews, Graham (Meg) Thomason, Samantha (Jackson) Berger, Joshua Thomason, and Anna Thomason, and one great nephew, Miles Berger.
Visitation will be Friday, March 7 at Carter Chapel in West Plains at 12:00, with services to follow at 2:00. It was important to Brent to further glioblastoma research to help save others from this terrible cancer; so please make any memorial donations to The Glioblastoma Foundation (www.glioblastomafoundation.org) in lieu of flowers.
March 4, 2025 @ 9:31 am
God bless you and your family. I will see you at the gates of heaven. Look forward to seeing you again brother.
March 4, 2025 @ 9:39 am
So sorry for your loss as my prayers are with you
March 4, 2025 @ 9:46 am
It was a privilege to have known Brent. He will be greatly missed, but stay in our hearts with all the memories. Sending our love thoughts and prayers to Erica, Besse and Richard, and Brent‘s family.
March 4, 2025 @ 7:51 pm
To the Humphrey family: SO sorry for your loss. Rest in Peace Brent.
March 4, 2025 @ 10:58 am
Sending prayers for God’s comfort & for Brent’s faith to reach many.
March 4, 2025 @ 2:10 pm
All my thoughts and prayers are with you loving people who have lost this most important person in your lives.
March 4, 2025 @ 2:42 pm
Erica we are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
March 4, 2025 @ 3:55 pm
You are deeply missed, Brent! I do things every day in my career that I learned from you. As much as I’ll miss our geekout sessions, I’ll missing talking to you even more.
March 4, 2025 @ 6:34 pm
Brent’s influence on me professionally continues to inspire me and I feel incredibly honored to have known him for the short time I did. He will be incredibly missed.
March 4, 2025 @ 9:48 pm
I first met Brent during a job interview—not the least stressful of circumstances—and as expected, he had some tough questions for me. But we also connected for a few minutes as regular people, discussing our love of airplanes and flying. I guess he liked me because I got the job. What followed was a 17-year working relationship that grew into a deep friendship.
One of the things that always struck me about our friendship was how uncannily similar our interests and lives were. Besides both being pilots, we shared a love of our dogs, an interest in beekeeping, and probably a dozen other nerdy pursuits. After a time, it became questionable who had gotten into something first before it spread to our close-knit group of co-workers. We spent a lot of our time, both in and out of work, chatting back and forth about some project or another.
Working with Brent was challenging but also rewarding. He always pushed you to be a better version of yourself, and although that was intimidating for the first five or so years, you soon realized that was just him being him. It was a great day when I realized he had grown to respect my abilities—finally earning the trust of a mentor. I also must mention that one of my favorite parts of working with him was that he didn’t suffer fools. Anyone who worked with us understands what I mean by this—you needed to come with your best and be prepared to defend your position. And as long as you could, he’d support you through anything. One of his favorite pastimes was keeping track of his “bullshit bingo” card during an interview or meeting. And damn, that guy could remember any subtle detail from a conversation or meeting from years before—he’d keep you straight.
Although the years of the pandemic were trying for many reasons, in some ways, they were a gift because they allowed us, as remote co-workers, a chance to bond as friends. The evolution of technology like instant messaging and group chats, plus tons of time on our hands, meant that we kept in touch probably more frequently than most families—it was rare that a few hours went by without some back and forth.
Professionally, there is probably no one else who had a greater effect on my career trajectory. He was the thought leader of our company and was so greatly respected in our industry.
His passing leaves a great hole in all of our lives. It is painful to know that I can’t pick up the phone and ask for his input on some problem. But I also take comfort in knowing that he helped make me ready to take on the challenge by myself. That was his gift—not only to me but to many others.
So, since I can’t be there this week, I’ll honor Brent in the best way I know how. I’ll go out to the airport, pull the plane out, and go for a flight.
Blue skies, my friend.
March 5, 2025 @ 1:46 am
We love you! Prayers for all of you just a call away
March 5, 2025 @ 10:20 am
I am so sorry to hear of Brents passing. Praying for all of you for peace and comfort at this time.