Leia Elizabeth Heap

Leia Elizabeth Heap passed away unexpectedly on January 20, 2025, in Holladay, UT., and was received into heaven by both of her loving grandfathers.

She was born at LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, on June 8, 2000, to Caleb and Susan Heap.

The youngest of 4 children, she was the energetic firecracker of the family, keeping up and surpassing siblings with her beautiful, athletic prowess. It was Davis, Addi and “the girls”, Brynn and Leia.

Leia’s first experience in school was a preschool class at Boulton Elementary School in Bountiful, UT, which she attended with her older sister Brynn; they were so cute together.

In 2005 the family moved to Mesa, AZ, where she attended Superstition Springs Elementary School from kindergarten through 5th grade. Leia learned all she could of animals, bringing home all non-fiction books to pour over and learn all the facts. After six wonderful years growing up in Mesa, swimming in the backyard pool, and running around with Brynn and their gang of friends, Caleb took the family to Pima, AZ, for an apprenticeship.

Susan was very worried about moving the family to a tiny little town in eastern Arizona, but Leia thrived in Pima. When told of moving to Pima, Leia asked in wonder, “Are we going to have a farm?”. She got to live out her farmer dream; raising two 4-H pigs, Kip & LaFawnda, getting dirty in the canal, catching crawdads, raising chickens and rabbits, and riding 4-wheelers all around town with Brynn and friends. She lived her best “farm” life.

She attended 6th and 7th grades in Pima where she played basketball, softball, ran track and swam on the summer swim team. The hot Arizona temperatures made swimming a favorite and she excelled.

After two years in Pima, dad packed up the family and moved back to their home in Mesa. All of their same friends were so happy to see Leia and Brynn back in the neighborhood.

Back in Mesa, Leia attended 8th grade at Highland Junior High. At Highland Jr, she played on the softball team and loved every minute of it. She was so strong and loved hearing the crack of the bat on the ball. She excelled in track and field and was awarded the all-round female athlete in 8th grade.

After advancing from Junior High, she attended 9th and half of her 10th grade year at Highland High School, Mesa, AZ,. There she took up pole vaulting and fell in love with the sport. She also joined the swim team but quickly switched to the dive team. She loved to fly high into the air, flipping and twisting and hopefully entering the water with a tiny splash. She was awarded Rookie of the Year and voted to be Captain for the next season.

After two and a half years back in Mesa, Caleb once again moved the family; this time to Salt Lake City, UT,. Brynn and Leia attended Skyline High School; Brynn graduating in 2017 and Leia in 2018. It was during these years that Brynn and Leia became the best friends that they are today. They were inseparable and being together helped them to bloom where they were once again planted. Together, they found forever friends in Salt Lake City.

During Leia’s first year back in Utah she broke her tibia on a family sledding activity up Emigration Canyon. Even though the break was set well by the doctors, the bone did not heal. After 6 months of waiting and hoping that it would heal and being in a cast the whole time, her doctors decided that she needed to have a titanium rod placed in the bone to enable it to heal. This worked! But Leia had been sidelined from her normal highly active lifestyle for nearly a year. Still, she was able to rejoin the Dive Club at the University of Utah and once again she was flying high. The coaches stated they wished all their divers were as fearless as Leia.

Leia has many loves...foremost are children and dogs, especially her first love, Presley, the family Pug, and her beloved Frenchies, Chili & Bean. She loves all animals, flowers, baking and decorating amazingly creative cakes, eating candy and gift-giving. Many family & friends are blessed with her perfectly selected “spot-on” gifts, which manifest her loving, giving spirit.

Nannying was her favorite profession...becoming a beloved “parent” to the children entrusted to her. Her favorite skill was “twin” dressing with the girls, and out-racing all the boys. Leia’s amazing talent was keeping all the children “on task”, safe and falling in love with Hogle Zoo and The Aquarium. With an unparalleled, infectious personality, all ages from babies to the elderly, loved being with Leia.

Leia is survived by her parents; Susan (Wilson) & Caleb Heap; siblings Davis (Annie) Heap, Addison Heap, Brynn Heap (Miles) Spencer; grandmothers, CaRene (Cox) Heap and Ida (Funk) Wilson and beloved aunts, uncles & cousins.

She is preceded in death by grandfathers; Dennis Heap and Robert Wilson, along with various relatives. 

A Celebration of Leia’s life will be held at the Mt. Olympus Stake Center, 4176 S. Adonis Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84124. An evening viewing will be held on Friday, January 24, 2025 at the Mt. Olympus Stake Center from 6-8 p.m.; a morning viewing will be held from 9:30-10:45 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025 followed by the Celebration services at 11:00 a.m.

Interment will be at the Deweyville City Cemetery, Deweyville, Box Elder County, UT, beginning at 3:00 p.m.

The Celebration of Life will be broadcast on Leia’s obituary page which can be found at www.RussonMortuary.com and Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page approximately 20 minutes before 11 a.m.