Jeffrey Troy Buchanan
Jeffery Troy Buchanan, 59, of Salt Lake City, Utah, passed away peacefully at home on August 11, 2026, at 9:11 PM, surrounded by his loving wife, Jamie, and his son, McLaren. Born on January 31, 1967, Troy spent his 59 years living life at maximum velocity, leaving behind a legacy of absolute devotion, boisterous laughter, and an endless trail of smiles.
Troy was a man of fierce resilience. After winning one prior round against a rare stage 3 gallbladder cancer in 2023. Unfortunately it came back in January 2026 with a vengeance and he faced a final, brave battle with a rare stage 4 gallbladder cancer. Like far too many, he fought this war without health insurance, adding immense financial stress to an already heavy load. But if you knew Troy, you knew he was the strongest man in the room—physically, mentally, and spiritually. He never quit, never complained, and kept an unshakable positive mindset until the very end. Cancer may have had the final say, but Troy gave it absolute hell first.
Those lucky enough to be in Troy’s orbit knew the depth of his loyalty. He was a steadfast, reliable man of his word who loved hard and deep. He chose his people carefully, and if you were one of them, he had your back no matter what—whether that meant giving you the shirt off his back or riding a motorcycle out onto a racetrack just to rescue you when your engine blew up.
Troy had an infectious smile, a lightning-fast silver tongue, and a quick-witted humor that could light up any room. Pops had the uncanny ability to tell a joke that wasn't funny at all, yet deliver it with such charm that the entire room would collapse in laughter. His humor was loud, boisterous, and delightfully unapologetic, often pushing people just far enough outside their comfort zone that even the meanest, driest person couldn't help but crack up.
When it came to his passions, Troy was "balls to the wall, all in"—and he dragged everyone he loved right along with him. It was all of us or none of us. When Troy raced, the family raced. When he got into archery, scuba diving, mountain biking, water skiing, or kayaking, he made sure his kids had the gear and were right beside him. But put Troy on skis, a mountain bike, or a motorcycle, and his wild side truly took over. Fearless didn't even begin to cover it; his philosophy was simple: "Gas on, brain off," and head straight down as fast as humanly possible.
Above all else, Troy was a devoted husband to Jamie and an incredible father to McLaren and Regina. He loved being a grandfather, beaming from ear to ear with pure excitement when he found out he was going to be a grandpa. He was the first to visit his grandbabies, Tatum and Copelynn, secretly enjoying the payback they were giving his daughter for her own childhood antics.
Troy was preceded in death by his father, Wesley Buchanan, and his beloved Grams, Deon McCormick.
He leaves behind a family that adored him: his wife, Jamie; his children, McLaren, Regina (Tyler) Russell, Matthew Adams, and Cameron Adams; his mother and step-father, Sherry and David Thatcher; step-mother, Maureen Buchanan; his siblings, Tiffani Thatcher, Chad Buchanan, and Theresa Buchanan; his cherished grandbabies, Tatum MaCrae, Copelynn Elaine, Lyndey June, and Loretta Mae; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.
A celebration of Troy’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Bywater Park, 3149 Banbury Rd, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121. To help the family prepare, please RSVP using the following link:RSVP
In lieu of flowers, the family would deeply appreciate contributions to help ease the overwhelming weight of accumulated medical and healthcare expenses from Troy’s battle. Donations can be made directly to the family's fund at Go Fund Me