Brandon VanGeest

It is with great sadness and heartbreak that we announce the passing of Brandon VanGeest. Brandon suffered a heart attack on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, and despite the valiant efforts of friends and all the medical staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital, he never regained consciousness. Brandon passed away comfortably on Monday, October 25, 2021, with his father and his sister by his side.

Brandon was an avid outdoorsman, an all-around athlete, and generally the "funny guy" in the room. When Brandon wasn't working, he loved to go hunting, fishing, boating, and even just dig in the dirt. He could often be found in the woods with his bow just waiting for the moment to snag the perfect deer. He also loved taking his boys boating and fishing on Lake Allatoona to see who could catch the biggest, ugliest fish. Brandon truly enjoyed and cherished everything about the outdoors and found it to be an escape from all the noise of everyday life. His passion and respect for nature is what originally led him to pursue a career in horticulture and all things plants, grass & trees.

Much to the chagrin of his sister, Brandon was also very much "the natural athlete". It didn't matter what sport he did - he was annoyingly good at it - soccer, skiing, baseball, golf, etc. He always enjoyed the thrill of competing and the rush of emotion from the win! Brandon has passed this love of sports and competition onto his boys, Ryver & Ryker, and niece Sofia. All of them are following in his footsteps and making him proud through their dedication, commitment, and love of baseball & softball.

For those that knew Brandon, grew up with Brandon, and worked with him in recent years, he was often the jokester in the room. Always cracking jokes, doing stupid tricks and trying to make others laugh, even if it was at his expense. He always wanted to have fun and find the joy and laughter in every moment. He often reminded us that he was "Northern by birth, but Southern by the Grace of God" and he fully believed that in his heart. We will miss his sometimes-off-color comments, practical jokes and prankster attitude that always kept us laughing.

Brandon leaves behind his wife, Jennifer; their two children, Ryver (11 years) and Ryker (6 years); and his two beloved dogs, Dodge and Dolly. He is also survived by his father, Bruce; mother, Meem; sister, Jolie; brother-in-law, Michael; and his niece, Sofia (10 years). He will truly be missed by all of them, but they take comfort in knowing he was doing something he loved in New Mexico, working on the set of the show Big Sky and getting to work with an amazing production group that supported, embraced, and valued who he was as a person.

While Brandon's life may have been cut short, he always lived every day to the fullest and cherished the opportunities he was given in life. He was most proud recently that his boys were accepted to Mount Paran Christian School where he knew they would thrive. He worked hard every day to make sure his boys would get an amazing education, surrounded by people that will love and support them as they grow.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Brandon's honor on Saturday, December 11, 2021, 2:00 p.m., at The Cedars, 4610 Northside Drive, Acworth, Georgia. Join us during this time to share stories of remembrance of Brandon's 46 years of life on earth. Please let the family know if you would like to share any personal memories of Brandon during the Celebration of Life - they are all welcome.

In lieu of flowers Brandon would have loved and appreciated that donations be made to Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw GA. Donations can be made in Brandon's name directly to the school at: https://www.mtparanschool.com/support/give/brandon-vangeest-memorial-giving