William Cortland (Cort) Dobson, 22, of Salt Lake City, Utah passed away unexpectedly on November 2nd 2022, two days before his 23rd birthday.

Cortland had a huge heart – from the moment he was born, his contagious smile could light up any room. He was funny, quirky and had the best style. He was the only boy in the family and the baby, we all wanted to protect him and would have done anything for him. He was a true momma’s boy – he would squeeze us all so tight and spin us around in circles every time we saw him. He was so protective of his mother and his sisters. His love for others and his kindness will live on in all of us.

From a young age, we knew he was incredibly gifted and smart. He loved learning and sharing that knowledge with his friends and family. He would spend hours researching history (especially WWII), foreign languages and computers. We all learned so much from him – he always had a million random facts on hand at any time. By the time he was 12 years old he knew more than his older sisters and would watch science and history videos with us. He had such enthusiasm for teaching us all new things. He was curious, open-minded and eager to share that knowledge.

Cortland was irreplaceable. He had a special relationship with his mom, they texted every night and he would always say “I love you momma”. Cindy always wanted to give Cortland the space to be who he wanted to be. Whether that meant letting him dye his hair blue when he was in 1st grade, letting him put pretend tattoos all over his face and wear whatever he wanted. He was so unique, and we all just loved how effortlessly he expressed himself and showed true authenticity.

Cortland faced a lot of adversity and trials in his life and yet still had so much love for others in his big heart. Most recently, he survived Covid twice, both times his family was told he wouldn’t make it. We felt so grateful that Cortland had a fighting spirit and successfully battled through it.

He always did his best to do the right thing and make everyone around him feel safe and happy. He always put on a brave face, making sure everyone else was okay before himself. He sometimes put on a tough exterior in front of others, but in reality, Cortland was the most sensitive, beautiful soul who felt he had to protect himself from this harsh world.

He loved rap music, had an extensive shoe collection of unique Jordans and the best fashion style. He loved his BMW and anything to do with cars. As a kid, he would take apart toy cars just to see how they worked. He was a true charmer and most people looked up to him because of his intelligence, but there was so much more to him than just his brain. He was a tender human who truly cared for all those around him.

Cort was able to turn his love for computers into his career. Although just recently employed, he fell in love with his new job working with computer hardware and traveling to store locations. He loved the company culture, teamwork and support he received from those he worked with.

He leaves a legacy of love, empathy, and curiosity. Our family will keep him in our hearts forever and we promise to live the way he lived.

We have created the Cortland Dobson Scholarship in memory of Cort’s huge heart, and his love of helping others. Through your donations to the Cortland Dobson Scholarship Fund, Cort’s legacy lives on. Every donation goes to help someone who is fighting against addictions and struggles in their own life, and makes it possible for them to get the help that they need.