Heather Shane Luthy

To Heather Shane Luthy, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Heather, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Heather really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Heather was born on January 20, 1973 at Philadelphia Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Her parents were Lloyd Gary Luthy and Mary "Tippi" Luthy. Heather was raised in Riverside, CA. Even as a child, Heather had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn't help but capture everyone's attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Heather was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Heather managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Heather was raised with one sibling. She had a younger sister named Erin.

All of Heather's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Heather experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She was a band member. In her spare time she liked playing the clarinet. Heather's memorable achievements included.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Heather was a class "cut-up." She didn't do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Heather simply enjoyed others' laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Heather, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Heather's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the "practical" approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in "theory." Heather graduated from Riverside Poly High School in 1991. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English.

Heather reveled in her college years, where her imagination could run free. She was viewed by many of her classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Heather was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun with others. But for Heather, life was not a case of all play and no work. Heather relished the task of putting her imagination to work in class. She was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from UC Riverside in 1995. She also pursued graduate school, earning her Masters of Education at UCR in 2009. Her favorite courses were English literature. She was a member of the UCR Alimni association. She was fluent in spanish and taught english as a second language.

At work, as in life, Heather was a real "people person." She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Heather liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Heather was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Heather's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Heather as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was school teacher. She was employed for 20 years by Rialto School District.

Heather enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An "arts and crafts" type, Heather liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were body building and reading. Heather was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Heather felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn't the best, Heather loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Heather relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Heather never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Heather played track and field. Heather was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity.

Heather had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Heather's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Throughout her later years, Heather was an active member of the UCR Alumni club.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Heather recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Living life in the fast lane suited Heather just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Mexico and the Barcelona.

Heather was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Heather's favorites was her dogs Rufus and Georgia. They were best friends for 10 years. Her family was rounded out by her 3 cats Sammy, Foxy, and Mushu.

Heather passed away on October 17, 2016 at Riverside, CA. She is survived by her loving parents Gary, and Tippi: sister and BIL Erin and Michael Pope, her niece Catherine Pope, and her 2 dogs Rufus and Georgia. Services will be held at St. Catherine on Alexandria Catholic Church in Riverside, CA on November 3, 2016 at 12:00pm. The family kindly requests for people to make donations to the Mary S Roberts Pet Adoption Center in lieu of flowers www.petsadoption.com .

Heather brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Heather Shane Luthy lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.