Dan Leslie Heath

Sterling, Utah - Dan Heath died on Saturday, March 15 2025 at his home in Sterling, Utah. The world has lost a great man.

Dan Heath was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 11, 1949. He spent his early years in and around the Salina area and moved with his family to Cody, Wyoming when he was 12. He was a graduate of Cody High school in 1967 and enlisted in the Army at the age of 17. Dan served courageously with the 25th Infantry Division of the US Army Combat Tracker Team as a canine handler in Vietnam and then returned to the US to serve as a boot camp trainer. He attended and played basketball for both Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and the University of Oklahoma.

Dan successfully reinvented himself a number of times. He became the youngest drilling supervisor in the history of Marathon Oil Company and spent years working in and around the Wyoming oil patch, first for Marathon and then as an independent consultant for oil companies both small and giant. He ran a successful Outfitting business out of Cody, Wyoming and him and his family led groups of photographers and big game hunters throughout the Absaroka Range on horseback. Later, having moved to California, Dan worked for, and then managed, a number of companies engaged in major environmental remediation activities throughout the western US. While stationed overseas in Nigeria, he was instrumental in initiating and progressing an orphanage for disabled children and worked with Nigerian senators and the American Women’s club in this effort. On a second assignment there, and having obtained guardianship of his granddaughter Sydney, he served on the Board of the American International School of Lagos, Nigeria, and then served as its President. While President, a project to design and build a new high school there was initiated.

A lover of horses, strong women, fishing, and political discourse. An avid and most always successful hunter, an enthusiastic storyteller held in high regard, a teacher and extremely proud Grandpa, father and husband.

Dan is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Marcia Houghton, his daughter Tracie Heath-Garcia (Michael), three granddaughters: Taylor Heath (Bryce Larson), Sydney Cristan, and Alex Garcia. His sister Sue (Lonnie) Tuss, brother John Heath (Laurie). He was preceded in death by his parents, Ted and Connie Heath, Brother Ted, Sister Vicky, and daughter Kelley Heath, and much-loved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial gathering will be held to honor Dan at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Salina LDS Stake Center in Salina Utah.

He will be laid to rest in Cody, Wyoming in June 2025.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for your consideration of a donation be made to heroesandhorses.org in memory of Dan L. Heath.