Lavan Heninger Gates

Lavan Rosanne Heninger Gates, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully due to complications of age at 87.  Lavan was born in Ogden, Utah to Oce Loreen Hull and Van Elliot Heninger.  She was the oldest of 5 children and loved doting over her four energetic younger brothers. Their family moved to California for 3 of the WWII years where she attended junior high.  Her family returned to Sunset, Utah where she graduated from Davis High School.  Lavan was always active in choirs, musical productions, speech & drama, and especially had an affinity for science throughout high school and college. She was awarded the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award her senior year of high school for her exceptional progress in science.  She received her associate’s degree from Weber College, then went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1953. She met Hugh Isom Gates (Hurricane, UT) at B.Y.U. and they were married June 15th, 1953 in the Salt Lake L.D.S. Temple.  Lavan & Hugh had 6 children (2 girls/4 boys) whom they raised with love, centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hugh and Lavan moved to Sunset, Taylorsville, Layton, and then to Ogden where they lived for 13 years.  In their empty nester years, they moved to Las Vegas, Provo and Kaysville.  In her first 4 years of marriage, Lavan taught elementary school in Springville, Provo and Ogden; in her later years, she taught 8 years at Riverdale Elementary.  She was a nurturing, devoted teacher who held her students to high standards.  Lavan served as a volunteer ordinance worker in the Las Vegas, Provo and Bountiful L.D.S Temples.  She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and wrote over 70 journals and created over 20 family photo albums documenting her family’s life.  Lavan was proceeded in death by her husband and is survived by her children: Debra (Marshall), Michelle, Richard (Joanne), SteVan (Jolene), Darin (Heather), Wynn (Arlene); 30 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be at Russon Mortuary, Farmington, from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, September 27th, 1941 N Main St., Farmington.  Funeral Services will be held Saturday 29th at 11 a.m. at the L.D.S. Church, 2651 S. 500 W., Bountiful, preceded by a viewing at 9:30 a.m. Interment: Bountiful City Cemetery.