Heber Grant Cooley

Heber Grant Cooley, Loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend passed away peacefully with his loving wife and adoring children by his side on September 24, 2021.
Grant was born in Higgins, Lipscomb County, Texas on February 28, 1940. He was the fifth of eight children born to Ernest Luellen and Rachel Ellen Glennie Cooley.
After the death of his father, his mother was left to care for all eight kids. Having limited funds and no work experience, she chose to send a few daughters to Utah until the whole family could be together again. Grant couldn’t bear to see his younger sister Mae leave the family and go to Utah alone and pleaded to accompany her to Utah.
Grant became a part of the Ed and Ireta Banks family of Palmyra Utah, where he would gain another sister, Afton Banks.
After a month in Utah, word came that his mother and baby sister were killed in a tornado. Grant was an orphan at age 7. Ed and Ireta Banks lovingly agreed to be his parents. Grant was raised on the family farm by his new father and mother who loved and supported him his whole life. Grant attended the Thurber Elementary School and Spanish Fork Jr and Sr high school. Later graduated from Utah Trade Technical Institute.
Grant served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the West Central States Mission where he extended his mission 3 times. He grew to love the Native American people – in particular the Assiniboine he served and taught. After returning to Palmyra, he enlisted into the Army National Guard.
He met and married the love of his life Sandra Smith on April 29, 1966 in the Salt Lake LDS temple. Together they raised 6 children in South Salt Lake.
Grant loved his faith and the outdoors. Grant served in many callings, but husband, father and grandfather were his favorite.
Grant is survived by his wife, Sandra his children Michele (Ed) McKinney, Annette (Rudy) Rank, Lynette Gurule, Paul Cooley (Jason), Mark Cooley (Heather Fowler), and Heather (Rick) Quinn. Also, his last surviving sibling, sister Afton (Louie) Pintar.
Grandchildren Amber (Chris) Elliott, Skyler Holt, Dylan Holt, Callie Rank and Madeline Rank, Alexander Heath and Ainzleigh Quinn, Sam Cooley, Price and Rachel Topham. Tasia (Juan) Carpenter and Patrick McKinney and 7 great grandchildren.
Preceded in death by his parents Ed and Ireta Banks, Ellen and Ernest Cooley, 5 sisters 2 brothers and a son-in-law.
We wish to express our gratitude to Louise and Neil Draper (sister and brother-in-law) and friends who looked out for both Grant and Sandra and were ever present to lend a hand during Grant’s last years of life – best friend, Rod Clift and wonderful neighbors, Chris and Cindy Laird. We love the Amber restaurant staff – for providing Grant his special shrimp and onion rings almost daily.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. with a viewing from 9:00-10:45 a.m., at the Wandamere Ward Chapel – 304 East 2700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115.
Interment at the Memorial Holladay Cemetery – 4900 South Memory Lane, Holladay, Utah, 84117.
Service Information
Viewing September 30, 2021 at 9:00-10:45 AM
304 East 2700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115





Funeral Service
September 30, 2021 at 11:00 AM
304 East 2700 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115