- Date Of Birth: November 11, 1924
- Date Of Death: June 27, 2016
- State: Utah
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.
