Ted Heath

At 92 years of age Ted Heath was the last of the twelve children of Jeremiah Heath and Effie Jane Throckmorton to return to his Heavenly Father.  He passed away on May 2, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ted was born April 27, 1925 in Genola, Utah.  He spent his early years as a child farm laborer, and, while in high school during the summers, as a miner (Tintic, Silver City, and Eureka, Utah and Ruth, Nevada).  Ted was a proud Payson High School Lion, Payson, Utah, where he was a gifted football, basketball, baseball player and track star.  He also played the lead in High School operettas.
In 1943 Ted joined the US Navy and was training to become a pilot.  The war ended before he completed pilot training.
After returning from the Navy, Ted attended Utah State University where he again excelled in sports, playing on the football, basketball and track teams.  He graduated in 1948.  During this time at Utah State, Ted met another USU Aggie, Elizabeth Jane Wright (Betty).  They married in the Salt Lake City Temple, on March 20, 1947.
Ted taught math, and electronics, and was a football, basketball, and track coach at Firth High School, Firth, Idaho; Union High School, Roosevelt, Utah; White Pine High School, Ely, Nevada; and Lompoc High School, Lompoc, California.  He also worked at Kennecott Copper in Magna, Utah, Raytheon in Goleta, California, and spent many summers and evenings fixing television sets.
Ted had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing “I Want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” (with the yodeling), “He That Hath Clean Hands and a Pure Heart”, and
“Trees: I think that I shall Never See a Poem Lovely as a Tree”.   He was also a talented harmonica player, landscape artist, Tin Men maker, quilter, fisherman, golfer and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast.
Ted was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, serving in many callings.  He was always available to serve anyone in need with kindness and with the ability to fix almost anything. Ted and Betty served in the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitor’s Center Mission (1990-92) and in the Los Angeles LDS Temple for two years.  They resided in Lompoc, California, for 47 years and in Salt Lake City, Utah, since 2011.  Betty died on May 27, 2016.
Ted is survived by 5 children: Rebecca Isakson (Larry) Ivins, UT;  Nancy Allison Burt (Kenny) Janesville, CA;  Betty Ann Mortensen (Lex) Severence, CO;  Ted Earl Heath (Diana) Murray, UT;  Susan Kay Rice (Marc) Oceanside, CA;  13 grandchildren: Elizabeth Kennedy, Joanna Shaeffer, Jon Isakson, Jimmy Isakson, Josh Burt, Zack Burt, Ryan Mortensen, Andrew Mortensen, Melissa Heath, Mackenzie Heath, Austin Heath, Steve Rice, and David Rice; and 23 great grandchildren.
Ted is preceded in death by his wife, Betty, his parents and 11 siblings
A 9:30 am viewing and 11 am funeral will be held Friday May 19, 2017 at Memorial Murray Mortuary, 5850 South 900 East, Murray, Utah 84121. Interment at Brigham City Utah Cemetery, 2:30 pm.
Service Information
Viewing May 19, 2017 at 9:30 - 10:45 AM
Memorial Murray Mortuary, 5850 South 900 East, Murray, UT





Funeral Service
May 19, 2017 at 11:00 AM
Memorial Murray Mortuary, 5850 South 900 East, Murray, UT