About LeAnn Brimley Heaton
LeAnn Brimley Heaton, our loving Wife, Mother & Grandmother, passed on from this life on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at the age of 62. LeAnn was born on May 29, 1958 to two loving parents, Nedra Simmons Brimley and James Clyde Brimley in Mesa, Arizona. She lived nearly her entire life in Mesa, graduating from Westwood High School in 1976 and serving with all her heart and soul for 30 years in multiple positions in the Mesa Public School District. She was married for time and all eternity to Michael Dee Heaton in the Mesa Arizona Temple on April 18, 1980. Together with her loving husband, she raised 4 sons and 2 daughters over their 40+ years together. LeAnn was a quiet source of strength to all those who came into contact with her.
LeAnn held numerous callings as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among them were den mother, scout committee member, cubmaster, pianist, primary presidency, primary teacher and primary chorister, Relief Society instructor, and most recently served as the Relief Society compassionate service committee chair. She loved this calling as it was her passion and gift to serve others.
In her home, LeAnn was the homemaker in every sense of the word. She was a masterful cook that kept a large family fed and happy. Over the years, she developed several meals that were requested again and again for birthdays and special occasions. LeAnn loved to craft and create things with her hands; in recent years she created several hand tied rugs, many wreaths and, of course, a Christmas Stocking for each member of the family. She also enjoyed raising animals at home, including many chihuahuas (specifically white chihuahuas) and several generations of chickens. She truly enjoyed spending time at the beach as often as she could and she loved sharing that joy with her family when possible.
LeAnn loved her family and spent countless hours counseling, listening, and worrying about them. Her love seemingly had no bounds as she expanded her circle of family to include sons-in-law and daughters-in-law that were treated as if they had always been a part of her family. She loved that they all refer to her and Mike as “Mom & Dad”. LeAnn’s grandkids were truly the “icing on the cake” for her. She adored each one and loved spending time with them even more. They all looked forward to going out to eat with their “Mamaw” and “Pompah” for dinner for their birthdays and will still look forward to that tradition in the coming years.
LeAnn loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and maintained a deep and abiding love for our Savior. She fasted often and prayed constantly for the welfare of her family and the many others that she cared for. She loved studying the scriptures personally and with her family. Her Christlike service did not end at her callings, she gave service wherever and whenever she found the need.
LeAnn was preceded in death by both her mother, Nedra (2002), and father, James Clyde (1978). She is survived by her Husband, Mike, her sons Thomas Stanley (Stefanie), Hunter Brimley (Clarissa), Carter James (Aubri) & Samuel Jefferson and her daughters, Megan Heaton Dale (James) & Carmen Dee Hughes (David), 12 (soon to be 14) grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, cousins, nieces & nephews that love and miss her very much.
We invite anyone whose life has been touched by LeAnn to the funeral service in her honor that will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Stake Center at 933 E. Brown Road, Mesa, AZ 85203, with a visitation beginning one hour prior to the services at 9:00 am. An additional visitation will also be held the preceding evening, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Bunker Garden Chapel, 33 N Centennial Way, Mesa, AZ 85201. LeAnn will be interred at the Mesa Arizona Cemetery.
The live funeral service will be streamed on Saturday May 1st at 10AM PST from the Mesa North Stake Center. You are invited to join the livestream at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87610079898
If you wish to send flowers, they can be sent to the Bunker Garden Chapel. Monetary donations can be made to any of the charitable funds at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.