Cortney Carter Brand
July 12, 1971 - November 13, 2025
Cortney Carter Brand, 54, of Castle Pines, Colorado, passed away on November 13, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was deeply loved and will be remembered forever by his wife, children, parents, sister, extended family, and countless friends.
Cortney fought pancreatic cancer with extraordinary courage, leaving no stone unturned and meeting every challenge with determination, grace, and fierce love for the people who stood beside him. He was a true warrior.
Cortney was an exceptional human being. He was authentic, conscientious, funny, hardworking, intelligent, athletic, musical, positive, adventurous, supportive, compassionate, kind, and profoundly loving. He showed up fully for the people he cared about and lived with open-hearted intention in everything he did. A devoted father, husband, and friend, a man of deep integrity, Cortney left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him and made the world brighter simply by being in it.
BELOVED BY FAMILY
Family was the center of Cortney’s universe—the foundation of his joy, purpose, and strength.
He is survived by his loving wife, Mira, and their three children: Carter (23), Dylan (22), and Skylar (17). He was a devoted son to his mother, Olivia Brand, and to his father, Samuel Brand, and Samuel’s partner, Kathleen McKenzie. He was a cherished brother to Melissa Brand, brother-in-law to Doug Orne, and uncle to Eli Orne. He was also deeply loved by Mira’s parents, Jan and Betty van Roon, and her brother, Menno van Roon, who embraced him as their own.
Cortney and Mira shared a remarkable life together, having been married for 29 years and partners for almost 35. Their love was deep, joyful, and steadfast, built on trust, laughter, and shared adventures around the world. They fell in love during a geology trip to Hawaii while studying at Lafayette College and moved West soon after graduating, ready to build the life they dreamed of.
A LIFE DEVOTED TO WATER, SCIENCE, AND PURPOSE
Cortney built an extraordinary career rooted in his lifelong passion for water, inspired by its power, its necessity, and its essential role in sustaining life. He earned a B.S. in Geology from Lafayette College (1993), an M.S. in Geology from Arizona State University (1995), and an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business (2007).
Through his thirty-year career, Cortney worked tirelessly to develop innovative strategies for sustainable water-resource management across the United States. He served for many years as President and CEO of LRE Water, leading with integrity, expertise, humility, and vision. His leadership style—optimistic, collaborative, grounded in deep knowledge, and infused with genuine warmth—inspired everyone to excel. He paired foresight with humility, moving projects forward while listening deeply, engaging thoughtfully, and offering the kind of humor that brought balance and ease to demanding work.
Most recently, he was Director of Growth and M&A at Spheros Environmental, where his insight, broad expertise, and exceptional ability to connect with people and ideas were deeply valued. He helped guide efforts to solve complex water-resource challenges across the nation, strengthening relationships, unifying teams, and bringing clarity to complexity in ways that elevated the entire organization.
In 2020, Cortney accepted the Denver Business Journal Small Business Award on behalf of LRE Water, and in 2022 he was co-recipient of the NGWA Outstanding Groundwater Project of the Year Award for the Terry Ranch Project in Greeley, Colorado.
Service was also core to who he was. Cortney volunteered with local swim teams, water boards, career-mentoring programs, and college advisory boards. He contributed to numerous professional societies, including the Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS), National Groundwater Association (NGWA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Metro Basin Roundtable, and Vistage.
His guidance, vision, and genuine care helped shape the careers and lives of countless colleagues, students, and young professionals.
ADVENTURER, ATHLETE, AND LOVER OF LIFE
Cortney embraced the world with curiosity, wonder, and enthusiasm. He loved being outdoors, traveling, and exploring new cultures—always seeking fresh perspectives. Some of his most treasured destinations included South Africa, Italy, Hawaii, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Thailand and, most recently, Costa Rica.
Sports were woven deeply into his life. He was a triathlete who qualified for and competed in national age-group championships; an early-morning swimmer, runner and cyclist; a high school soccer player and wrestler; and a downhill and cross-country skier. He loved watching football and the Olympics. More recently, he became an enthusiastic pickleball player with family and friends.
Music was another lifelong joy. In college, he played lead roles in musicals, including Pippin in Pippin, and performed in a band. In high school, he sang in multiple vocal groups and played the saxophone. One of his favorite songs was Beautiful Day by U2.
He cherished the early morning hours. Remarkably efficient with his time, he woke before dawn to walk with his beloved dog, Indigo, gather his thoughts, and begin the day with intention. Every morning, without fail, he made coffee for Mira and took great pride in preparing elaborate breakfasts and dinners for his family—quiet, daily expressions of his steady and devoted love.
He was known for his playful spirit and sense of humor, including his unexpectedly masterful rendition of the floss. He loved movies with physical comedy, crafting cocktails and appetizers for gatherings with friends, and proudly displaying Mira’s photography on the walls of his office.
A DEVOTED AND HANDS-ON FATHER
Above all his passions and accomplishments, Cortney’s greatest joy was being a father. Nothing mattered more to him. He believed that being truly present and hands-on was the greatest gift he could give his children.
He shared adventures, traditions, and countless memories with them: hiking 14ers with his sons; playing ping pong with all three kids; competing in triathlons and talking science with Carter; playing guitar, fishing, and going to the gym with Dylan; performing with Skylar (she as vocalist, he on guitar), attending daddy-daughter dances, and baking together.
He felt immense pride when Skylar sang the National Anthem at events, when Dylan passed his challenging flight exams, and when Carter earned prestigious scholarships. He valued each child’s unique strengths and differences and took deep pride in raising amazing young adults with strong, grounded values. He loved diving into their intellectual interests, sharing his signature dad jokes, and cooking meals that brought everyone together. His love for his children was unwavering, joyful, and infinite.
A LEGACY OF LOVE, CURIOSITY, AND STRENGTH
Cortney’s life was filled with purpose, adventure, and love. He touched countless lives with his warmth, intelligence, humor, and generosity. His legacy lives on in the family he adored, the people he mentored, the communities he served, the water resources he advanced, and the many hearts he made fuller simply by being himself.
Honoring his wishes, his gift of eyesight was shared with up to two people through eye-tissue donation.
HONORING CORTNEY
To honor “CB Water Guy” and his enduring passion for the environment and water stewardship, Cortney will undergo an environmentally friendly water cremation on November 24, preceded by a private viewing. This gentle return to the earth honors the sacred cycle of life and renewal.
A celebration of his life, because he truly deserves to be celebrated, will be held at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S University Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO on May 16, 2026 at 10:30am. We hope you can attend and help honor, commemorate and celebrate Cortney.
Cortney will be missed beyond words and remembered forever, for his love, his laughter, his wisdom, his humor, and the extraordinary life he shared with everyone fortunate enough to know him.
Donations
For those who wish to honor Cortney through a contribution that reflects his values and devotion to learning, service, and hope, the family kindly requests donations to one of the following:
* Skylar’s and Dylan’s Education 529 Fund.
Contributions may be mailed to 310 Shoreham Cir., Castle Pines, CO 80108 or sent electronically via Venmo @Mira-Brand.
* The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-
Dedicated to Cortney Brand
* A future memorial scholarship at Lafayette College supporting students pursuing hydrogeology or cancer research.
Donations may be sent via check to Mira Brand at 310 Shoreham Cir., Castle Pines, CO 80108, or via Venmo @Mira-Brand.
Cortney’s Celebration of Life
A celebration of his life, because he truly deserves to be celebrated, will be held on
Saturday, May 16, 2026
10:30am
St. Andrew United Methodist Church
9203 S University Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
We hope you can attend and help honor, commemorate and celebrate Cortney.
