Brian Charles Stiff, 41, died unexpectedly of heart failure on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at his home in Lyons, Colo.

Brian had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and loved sharing it with the world. He possessed a dry, clever wit; you didn't know the joke was coming at you until you were cracking up and doubled over with laughter.

He was also thoughtful, selfless and giving. If you were in need of a hand, Brian was the first to extend his. If there was something you needed that he could provide, it was yours.

Brian was born October 29, 1970, at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Ill., to Michael Charles Stiff and Barbara Jo (Blehm) Stiff.

He attended East Richland schools in Olney, Ill., through his junior year and graduated from Centennial High School in Champaign, Ill. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in industrial technology and robotics in 1993.

Brian loved the mountains and moved to Colorado – where he always felt he belonged – right after graduation. He worked most recently as a security network architect for Cisco in Boulder, Colo. Prior to that, he worked for Compatible Systems and Aardvark Computer in Boulder, Colo., and Broomfield, Colo., amassing many friends along the way. He will be missed at Cisco not only for his expertise, but for his ability to inject sanity and humor into their insane work life.

Brian had a wide variety of interests, whether it was railroads, NASCAR, music, computers or woodworking. He had a lifelong interest in anything to do with flight technology, from helicopters to the space shuttle. He was deeply proud of his grandfather, Harold Blehm, a pilot in World War II, his father, who flew helicopters in Vietnam, and his brother Jason, who is a helicopter pilot with the Illinois National Guard.

Fit and energetic, he loved cycling on roads and trails. It was while mountain hiking in Winter Park that Brian met his soul mate, and during a backpacking trip on Mountain of the Holy Cross, where they fell in love. Julie always said she wanted to marry a mountain biker, and she did: They were married on September 27, 2003, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Boulder.

They were proud to serve as volunteer firefighters and first responders with the Pinewood Springs Fire Protection District.

Brian is survived by his wife, Julie, of Lyons, Colo.; sons, Kevin, 5, and Brandon, 3, of Lyons, Colo.; his parents, Barbara and Mike Stiff of Savoy, Ill..; a brother, Jason E. Stiff and his wife, Amy, and two nieces, of Pawnee, Ill.; and his paternal grandparents, Robert and Eileen Stiff, of Olney, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Harold and Josephine Blehm, of Fort Collins, Colo.

Published in Olney Daily Mail (IL) - February 28, 2012