I'm sad to report the passing of another JM alum. ~ Ed.

Brian P. Carney, 58, of Lakeville, Minnesota, left this world peacefully surrounded by family and friends on March 14th, 2025. Through God’s Grace, Brian leaves a legacy for all of us who knew him to follow and to share: Courageousness, tenacity, warriorship, and positivity in the face of many obstacles. He wanted to share with others what honor, integrity, strength, trust and love in God and in others can look like regardless of the hurdles life may present. It was important to him he was not pitied or sorrowed. And even more importantly, he hoped people realize self pity, negative thoughts, defeated attitude gets you nowhere and to recognize what can be accomplished and how life can be joyful regardless of what obstacles life on this earth may hold.

Through Brian’s cancer journey, Brian and Shelly witnessed so many youngsters battling the nastiness of cancer. We kindly appreciate any donation made in his name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Cancer Research Center.

Visitation will be held at 10:00am with an 11:00am funeral service on Thursday, May 8th at Hosanna Church 90601 163rd Street, Lakeville, MN. A life celebration will be held from 12:30 - 4:30 pm at Brianno’s Chart House - Lakeville, 11287 Klamath Trail, Lakeville, MN.

Brian was born May 24, 1966. He grew up in Rochester, MN. A graduate from Winona State, he began a lifetime career in the masonry industry. While in awe of what the trade offered, it was the people of the industry, the people of the day to day life, the people he encountered that folded his passion into his 34+ career with Spec Mix Inc, a Quikrete Company. At the time of death, he led the Spec Mix Inc team as Vice President.

Brian married Shelly on June 17th, 2000, and together they shared a beautiful love story. They were married for almost 25 years yet their partnership in love began 30 years ago. A joy filled commitment and wonderful life together forged in loyalty, respect and dedication to one another regardless of all.

God kept Brian on this earth through many health situations. A broken neck on what was to be a 3rd date for Brian and Shelly (a story in itself). Acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis in 1998 at the age of 32. Brian’s treatment consisted of autologous stem cell therapy at first and ultimately treatment led to an allogeneic stem cell transplant (thank you sister Colleen for those stem cells). He won the 2 year battle of leukemia. He continued to battle through 5+ additional head and neck cancer diagnoses, a heart attack, broken bones, and infections from full body radiation and yet there was never a complaint. While he may have had cancer in his life, cancer did not lead his life.

He got up each day, brushed off any potential sorrow or self-pity knocking on his door. There was none of that. Brian wowed the doctors (and there were many) with his ability to withstand so much and still smile, create laughter for others and keep a positive attitude. Yes, he won the hearts of his nurses with his humor, kindness and light-heartedness in the face of it all. Often early in his health journey Shelly would find him and the nurses in his hospital room watching Nascar races or football games. He faced his battle with cancer and other underlying health conditions boldly as his job to get done and never considered death an option. He often said to Shelly, “You can shed tears yet here were are, so what are we going to do next?” He would be the one to pick up his teammate and they would move forward. Both in his personal and professional world he coined and lived the phrase "keep moving, keep going, keep working." At any given opportunity, he lived life full. Whether at their cabin, traveling together with personal and professional friends, he was the guy everyone wanted to be around. His resilience, positive attitude and charismatic personality always kept him a center of attention although he was the most humble of men.

With any achievement, Brian always attributed the success to the team, due to the efforts of other people, or the company for which he worked; never himself. He inspired others in so many ways and led by example. Brian often stated he could not have done it without the love and trust he had in God, his friend, Jesus and his wife. He showed and spoke gratitude daily and with that dominating team, cancer did not stop Brian. They worked hard to not let cancer interfere. While Brian and Shelly did not have children, he always commented how blessed they were to have loving nieces, nephews, godchildren in their lives. And not to be forgotten, the 15 years of love from their 4-legged boys (dogs) Mr. Chezwik and Mr. Taber.

Not many can say this but Brian absolutely loved what he did for a living. He loved the people of the industry, those he worked with, and the opportunities available. His introduction to the masonry industry began working as a mason’s tender for a life-time friend Trent Keller of Keller Masonry while going to school. He was blessed with pioneering many “firsts” in the masonry industry. After college, he was hired by a lifetime friend Terry Fenelon. With Spec Mix, his initial sales and marketing opportunity was introducing a brand new concept to the masonry world. Brian and his team accomplished the enormous task and to date, Spec Mix pre-blended masonry products and the Silo Delivery System are seen on almost every masonry job site.

A consistent innovative thinker, Brian had the foresight o recognize necessary solutions or needed initiatives both personally and professionally. He never gave up on an idea or a commitment and would move forward to get it done with a definite idea of “the right way." Those that have the opportunity to share in his life know that he made this world a better place.

In 2003, Brian started the World’s Largest Bricklaying Competition, the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500. The SMBL500 is a masonry competition to showcase the skills and pride of bricklayers worldwide. An event held annually at the World of Concrete Show in Las Vegas, now televised, this unique competition is recognized as a leading resource for the masonry industry.

In 2004, Brian established Gatorback, LLC and introduced the Gatorback Mortarboard to the masonry industry. His wife Shelly had the opportunity to manage for over 15 years. His Gatorback Mortarboard was awarded the Most Innovative Product Award at The World of Concrete 2005. A successful family business proudly sold to Marshalltown Tools. The Gatorback remains the official mortarboard of the SMBL500.

In 2018, Brian was a recipient of the C. Dewitt Brown Leadman Award.

In 2020, Brian was inducted into the Masonry Hall of Fame. The Masonry Contractors Association of America (MCAA) recognized Brian’s many contributions to the industry.

More than anything in the world, any place in the world, Brian’s favorite was spending time together with Shelly, family, and friends at their cabin on Lake Vermillion, MN. Whether the smallest of a self-created project, major renovation, refinishing or building of the lake cabin to riding the side by side, a coffee cruise on the pontoon, scooting across the lake on “the shooter” fishing boat, making a white russian or sharing a Jack Daniels with a friend .... Brian had a permanent and infectious smile on his face when there. He looked forward to spending many years on that lake, at that cabin. For now, we can share in the memories of his well told stories, laughter, silliness, creativity, strength and determination, the nickname he has had for you and mostly, the genuine love he had for all of us.

He was preceded in death by his loving parents, Edward and Karen Carney. He is survived by his wife Shelly, his three sisters Colleen McCall (Fred), Carrie Ellis (Jeff), Michelle Crowson, as well as many cherished nieces, nephews, friends and family members.

https://www.whitefuneralhomes.com/obituary/brian-carney