LuAnn Heaps Larsen

LuAnn Heaps Larsen, cherished daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother, passed peacefully from this life on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 of causes incident to age.

Mom was born on February 28, 1934 in Teasdale, Utah, the oldest child of Joseph Melvin and Norma Grace Orton Heaps. She always treasured growing up in Teasdale, and loved the work of the farm (except for the chickens). She often shared wonderful memories of riding horses and going up on the Boulder Mountain to fish with her Uncle Lawrence. She loved the outdoors and was an expert fisherwoman, often outfishing all of us.

Mom learned at a young age from her aunts how to cook, and, at the age of 10, she became the main cook for her family and any farm workers that may have helped with harvests and other work. With that much experience, she became an amazing cook! When she announced her engagement to our Dad, her father lamented, “Who will cook for me now?” Later in life, he charged Mom three square meals a day as payment for finishing the basement of her home.

LuAnn was sealed for time and all eternity to Arell C Larsen on June 1, 1953 in the Manti LDS Temple. They met in November 1952, introduced by a mutual friend. When this friend asked Mom the next day what she thought of Dad, Mom said that he was ok, but she would be surprised if he ever came back. Mom made a bet that, if Dad ever did come back, she would buy them all dinner. Needless to say, Mom had to pay up! When they married at ages 19 and 18, many people said it wouldn’t last. Mom and Dad proved them all wrong, just recently celebrating their 72nd wedding anniversary.

All of us children feel incredibly blessed to be raised by such amazing parents! Mom was very loving and affectionate; she took her responsibilities as a mother very seriously. She often quoted her father, saying, “I only have 18 years to turn you into an adult, and that’s not a very long time!” She taught us the value of hard-work, integrity, and accountability. Her family is her legacy.

Mom loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving in Relief Society and Primary as well as many years with Dad on the Activities Committees of both the Midvale 5th and 6th wards. She always made herself available to perform any service that was needed and had a special love for the visiting teaching program and doing temple work. She was very interested in genealogy and was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers for many years.

Mom is survived by her sweetheart Arell, her children Cindy (Joel) Young, Kirk (Janeil) Larsen, Marilyn Jensen, Chris Larsen, and Kathy (Brian) Cooley; 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great granddaughter due any day, her sister, Connie Mott, her sister-in-law Esther Heaps, and her brother David Brent (Julie) Heaps. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Marion Heaps and LeGrande Heaps (and wife Joanne), her sister Glenda (and husband Ron Bushman), her brother-in-law Don Mott, and her son-in-law Steve Jensen.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at Goff Mortuary, 8090 South State Street, Midvale, Utah. There will be a viewing at 10:00 a.m., with the funeral following at 11:00 a.m.. Interment will follow at Redwood Memorial Estates, 6500 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah.