John Bradley Gunnell

John Bradley Gunnell, 57, passed away on December 8, 2023, in San Francisco, California, after a decade-long battle with prostate cancer. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his sister, Jennifer Gunnell, and numerous friends who all loved him dearly.

"Gunner" -- as he was known to many, lived an exemplary life. He was born on January 21, 1966, in Burbank, California, to Sharron Lee Hatch and John L. Gunnell. He grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he attended Brighton High School. He graduated from the University of Utah with an Honors BA in English (1988) and a BA in Economics (1989). He was very active in Beta Theta Pi fraternity and served as the Chapter President.

After graduating from the U, he moved to Oxford, Ohio, where he worked for the Beta General Fraternity. He started out as Chapter Management Consultant, and after exemplary work, he was promoted to Director of Development for the Beta Foundation (1989 to 1992).

He then attended the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management where he earned his MBA (1994). He had a successful career in media, working for Playboy Entertainment, DirecTV, The Walt Disney Company, and the PBS affiliate KQED in San Francisco, where he lived from 2000 until his passing. While at KQED he developed critically acclaimed programing including "Jacques Pepin: Heart and Soul," and "Jean-Michael Cousteau's Ocean Adventure Series," amongst other accomplishments. He was a talented writer and conversationalist with an impressive vocabulary. He was extremely well read and informed and his love of literature made every conversation with him unique and interesting.

Gunner was a tremendous athlete who excelled in all sports, including rugby, which he played while at UCLA. He was an avid outdoorsman, mountaineer, backpacker and skier. Always finding the sublime in his interface with nature. He was a big fan of sports, in particular his beloved Running Utes and the San Francisco Giants. Those who attended a Giants game with Gunner were treated to in-depth analysis of the game and the team.

He was also an intrepid traveler who crisscrossed the globe in search of adventure. In particular, he had a love of South Africa, where he visited numerous times and where he maintained a number of friendships.

Brad befriended people from all walks of life. His easy-going style made it easy to strike up a conversation. His wit, humility and infectious smile drew people in and endeared him to many. His circle of friends was impressive in numbers and depth. Perhaps his greatest legacy will be the incredible friendships he formed and nurtured throughout his life.

Throughout his 10+ year battle with cancer, he showed great resilience and optimism. During those years of chemo and other cancer treatments, Brad never uttered a word of complaint or self-pity.

At the time of his death, he showed great bravery and passed away with remarkable dignity.

He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.