Heidi Alice Gillette

Heidi Gillette died on June 30, 2022, at the age of 67. Heidi was born on June 24, 1955, In Pasadena, CA to Pete and Betty Heintz. Heidi was the oldest of three girls raised in San Pedro, CA. Heidi loved to travel, camp, swim, sail and be in the great outdoors from a very young age and shared many memories of her adventures backpacking the California Mountains like Yosemite, to camping with the campfire girls and cruising with her grandparents all over Europe.
Heidi graduated from San Pedro High School class of 1973 and went on to graduate with her BA in education from California state University Fullerton, CA then on to complete her Master's in Education in 1985 from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a "Lifetime Teaching Credential for K-12".
Heidi first started teaching in Long Beach School District grades 7th and 8th and in the summers worked at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA where she met her love of her life, Bill Gillette, through mutual friends. Heidi took a sabbatical from Long Beach School District in 1983 when her son, Steven Gillette, was born and continued to work on her master's degree as well as help start a Private Elementary School at the Presbyterian Church in Westminster, California. After her son Steven started Kindergarten, Heidi started teaching in Garden Grove School district in grades 2nd through 6th for over11 years.
In December of 1997, Boeing moved Heidi, Bill and Steven to Layton, Utah when her husband Bill accepted a position as Resident Development Engineer at Alliant Tech Systems (ATK) and Thiokol Corporation for Solid Rocket Motor Programs. Heidi began teaching in the fall of 1998 for Davis School District first for Crestview Elementary, but later taught at Bluff Ridge Elementary and Heritage Elementary for over 21 years mostly in the 2nd grade (her favorite!)
Heidi was a Mentor Teacher, coaching college students and new hires, and all of her associates loved her for her special projects and aids she brought to teaching. She loved to immerse her kids in learning and always made it fun with purchasing out of her own pocket science experiments and physical elements to indulge their hands on learning! She made sure every child was coached in their particular needs and left nobody behind. She was there when school opened and had to be chased out by the janitors at night.
Heidi lived for kids and loved teaching, mentoring and motivating them in life. She coached soccer, basketball, baseball and swimming and was always active in Indian Guides and Scouting as a leader. When Bill was traveling full time for work, she filled in as Scout Master and ran the Merit Badge Classes and Troop Campouts (every month - year round!) Camping in -10-degree snow, rain or shine she was out there and loved every minute of it. When Steven, her son, made Eagle Scout they both helped with Layton's' Troop 344 for several years at Mountain View and graduated over 35 Eagle Scouts.
After retirement, Heidi continued to love traveling, camping, hiking, and water sports with her husband Bill. Heidi especially loved traveling to see her grandchildren Jeremiah (6) and Hanniel Gillette (4) when they lived in Washington. In 2020, Heidi was even happier to have her son Steven, Daughter in law Shanna, and Grand-children Jeremiah and Hanniel move back to the state of Utah. Heidi made it a point to try and get to them, take them for walks, and play outside at least once a week.
Heidi will be missed by all and be remembered as loving children and a great friend to all.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers that you donate to the and all
donations will go to help all Shriner's Hospitals Nationwide.