Obituary of Heidi Leanne Larsen

Heidi Leanne Larsen August was a special month for Heidi Leanne Larsen. It was her birth month and each year it signaled the start of school—one of the great loves of her life. It is only fitting that this would be the month when she graduated from this life and returned to her Heavenly Father. Heidi passed away on Aug. 21 at her home in Cedar Hills, Utah, following a brief hospitalization. Her 48 years were packed full of learning, service, faith and family. Heidi was born Aug. 25, 1966 in Provo, Utah to Nancy and Val Judd. When just two weeks old her family moved to North Dakota. In her early years she also lived in Minnesota and Arizona before her family settled in Austin, Texas, which she considered home. Heidi’s love of education took her to Brigham Young University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She later earned a master’s degree at Arizona State University in educational administration. Heidi was a gifted teacher who had a positive influence on hundreds of students through the years as an educator in Texas, Arizona and Utah. She most recently taught 6th grade at Odyssey Charter School in American Fork, Utah. Heidi was also a student of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She served a full-time mission in Rochester, New York and held many callings throughout her life, including serving in Relief Society and Primary presidencies and as a teacher in Primary and Sunday School. On July 6, 1994, she married her eternal companion, Shaun McKay Larsen in the LDS Dallas Temple. They were blessed with three children, who were the center of her universe: Dane McKay, who is currently serving an LDS mission in the Guadalajara Mexico East Mission, Lindsey Leanne, a junior at Lone Peak High School and Kaia McLain, a 9th grader at Timberline Middle School. Nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her family – watching a BYU or University of Texas football game with her kids, catching a movie with her husband, or simply laughing with her sisters. Heidi also loved music and was a talented flautist. Heidi is survived by her husband, three children, a stepdaughter, Lauren Larsen, San Clemente, Calif., her parents of Alpine, Utah and seven siblings: Mckay (Ruth) Judd, Dallas, Texas; Karen (Lloyd) Wilbert, Pleasant Grove, UT; Elaine (Marlo) Oaks, Bountiful, UT; Kristi (Marc) Natividad, Cedar Hills, UT; Janae (Jason) Daniels, Colorado Springs, CO; Ashley (Gavin) Curtis, Litchfield Park, AZ; Carolyn Judd, Alpine, UT; as well as 59 nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held in the Cedar Hills 11th Ward on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. (10455 North Ironwood Drive, Cedar Hills). Friends may call on the family on Friday, Aug. 28, 6-8 p.m. at Anderson Mortuary in Highland, UT or the morning of the funeral 9:45 to 10:45 at the church. Please share a memory with us. An account has been set up for the family. Donations may be made to the Heidi Larsen fund at Bank of American Fork.