Willard Erwin Heaps

WILLARD ERWIN HEAPS
Willard Erwin Heaps passed away at Midtown Manor, nursing home in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 27, 2016 of natural causes. Willard was born November 11, 1924 at Escalante, Garfield County, Utah to Joseph Henry and Clara Minerva Riddle Heaps. He attended grade school in Escalante, the ninth grade in Panguitch, and graduated from high school at Cedar City High in 1943. During World War II, he enlisted in Marine Corp. After completing basic training in San Diego, CA, he enrolled and finished communications school as a radio/telephone operator. While receiving this training, he met and married Dorothy Mildred Roberts on January 1, 1944. He served on Iwo Jima during its horrific attack and glorious flag-raising. Later, after he was honorably discharged, he and Mildred settled in Utah in a small area of Roy, Utah called Arsenal Villa, which was a government housing project. Later, after children started to be born, they moved to Bountiful in 1952 and lived there for 13 years.
This union lasted 63 plus years, until Mildred passed away in 2006. Out of this union, eight children were born. Raymond Willard Heaps (Kathy) Bountiful, two sets of twins in 1947; Robert E Heaps (Becky), Salt Lake City and Randie Kelsey, Fairborn, OH. Rolan O Heaps (Mary) Renton, WA and Ronal J Heaps (Joan), Navarre, FL. Reed Riding; adopted by his sister Garna Riding, Orem. Ren Heaps, Fairborn, OH and Raylene (LaRon) Johnson, Shelley, ID. Willard has 28 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren. Willard and Mildred sealed their love for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple with their children in May 1961.
Willard has been active in the L.D.S. Church, holding many positions. He was the Elders Quorum President, the Sunday School President, Gospel Doctrine Teacher for 12 years and instructor in the High Priest group for 15 years. He often commented that being a member of the church brought him great joy and fulfillment. While in Bountiful he worked at Phillips Petroleum for 12 years. He then left this work for a job with the Job Corp in Mountain Home, ID and Clearfield UT where he retired in 1990 after 25 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred, his parents, brothers Verge and Edwin and sisters Corinne Schow, Edna Sargent, Garna Riding and Charlene Norton. He was also preceded by a Granddaughter, Tina Marie Kelsey and a Great-grand daughter, Oakley Pearl Heaps.
Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, July 1st at Myers Mortuary in Layton, 250 N Fairfield Rd. There will be a viewing at the mortuary on Thursday, June 30th from 6:30 - 8:00 pm and prior to the service on Friday from 9:30 - 10:30 am. Interment will follow at the Kaysville Cemetery.
VisitationMyers Mortuary of Layton
250 N. Fairfield Rd.
Layton, UT 84041
June 30, 2016
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
ServiceMyers Mortuary of Layton
250 N. Fairfield Rd.
Layton, UT 84041
July 1, 2016
11:00 AM
CemeteryKaysville City Cemetery
500 E. Crestwood Rd.
Kaysville, UT 84037
July 1, 2016