Leesa Lloyd

Our loving sister and aunt unexpectedly passed away in her sleep on May 26, 2022 of natural causes.

She was an exceptional daughter, sister, niece, aunt, cousin, teacher, and mentor who led through great example.

Leesa was born June 13, 1959 in LDS Hospital to Sandra Newman Lloyd and Robert Earl Lloyd. Her big brother, Kory was born in 1957 and little brother Langford, in 1963.

Leesa was adorned with attention as the girl in the family. She discovered her talent for dance at a very young age in the Connie Johnson Dance Studio in Riverton. She has always been committed, being recognized for having ‘Perfect Attendance’ at Riverton Elementary School from Kindergarten to 6th Grade! She received the same recognition for ‘Perfect Attendance’ not ever missing a day of Primary in the Riverton First Ward.

Leesa rode her bicycle to piano lessons with Zelma Platt and often shopped for items at Petersons when she was just 8 years old. She had singing lessons, was a Shamrock cheerleader at West Jordan Jr. High and Eastmont Jr. High when Riverton kids were bussed to those schools. She was a cheerleader and Minerette at Bingham High School where she also followed her passion for dancing as a member of the Bingham High Dance Company. Her dancing ability was recognized by leaders and her family went to great effort seeing she was able to attend advanced instruction with Virginia Tanner and Rowland Butler.

Leesa’s organization ability is legendary. She prepared well ahead for everything. As a young girl she would layout the outfit she was going to wear the next morning. Homework was completed and ready to go every morning. She performed this routine every day in her adult life.

Leesa excelled in the University of Utah Dance program and transferred to Brigham Young University to become a member of the dance company. Her professors recognized her excellent execution and ability to instruct and encouraged her to enter the teaching profession. She started her teaching career at Timpview High School in Orem 3 years and then to Murray High School for 36 years! She led cheerleaders 3 years, Spartonians 9 years and the Murray High Dance Company 36 years! They traveled, dancing their way to New York City many times, Japan, Korea and Hawaii.

Leesa was an early riser, meeting every commitment to always be dependable, punctual and prepared. Her years of early morning and late evening into the night for her school groups is untold. Leesa was a master teacher on the dance floor and in the classroom bringing the study of psychology and sociology to many young minds. She held a Master’s Degree in Educational Counseling.

Starting as a young girl Leesa was selected to act and perform in school plays, Road Shows and Stake plays. Her love of theater transferred to her profession as she choreographed the dancing in 36 Murray High School musicals. She received multiple awards recognizing her creative choreography from local newspapers.

Leesa formed a great bond with a group of local early childhood friends that remained strong throughout her life. Denese Silcox Hase and Leesa became friends at a very young age and remained best friends throughout her lifetime. They shared all lifetime events with each other with exemplary loyalty and complete devotion.

Leesa was an immaculate housekeeper. Her home and contents were super clean and in full order. Her Barbie collection is museum quality displayed in formal showcases. She was proud of her Riverton family heritage being an expert at family and local history that extended into Murray and Utah history. Leesa served as Chairman of the Board of the Riverton Museum at the Crane House. Her expertise is shown in dozens, even hundreds of personal scrapbooks she ritually kept documenting each event and activity her life involved. She was an excellent writer with a distinctive loopy cursive handwriting.

Leesa enjoyed reading all kind of magazines especially popular culture. She loved following the British Royal Family especially Princes Diana and Queen Elizabeth. Leesa enjoyed traveling and visited many parts of the world on grand travels with her mother, friends, family and performing groups. Leesa developed her own abbreviated lingo to the affection of many students. Perf for perfect, Feas for feasible, you can likely think of one or two too.

Leesa loved celebrating holidays, birthdays and special events. She attended hundreds of former student engagement parties, showers, weddings and baby showers. She developed such strong relationships with her students a great deal of her time was spent attending personal events. In her own family for her brothers, nephews, niece and cousins she went to extraordinary efforts producing large banners, balloons, food and elegantly wrapped well thought out gifts. “Gibbons” to Brandon, Britney, Ashley and their children have been recipients of these blessings. In recent years, she had become an expert baker sharing her creations with many. Her large, thick, soft Christmas sugar cookies are legendary.

Leesa had a moral compass that attracted family, students and everyone she came into contact. She could be quick to tell you right from wrong, to have strong ethics and remind you to do better.

She was a class act with great taste who loved nice clothes, shoes, jewelry and bling! Her legendary blinged out flip flops snaped in the halls of Murray High and around her home. Her elegance when all dolled up was beauty to behold.

Fully dedicated, Leesa was selected as Teacher of the Year by Murray High School and the PTA in 2008 and 2009. She was recognized for her achievements by the Murray Arts Advisory Board and Rotary Club for her many volunteer contributions to the community.

Leesa inspired and guided young women in the Miss America Scholarship Organization for over 44 years. This great passion has molded hundreds and hundreds of young women’s lives to strive and achieve great things. She led the Miss Murray Scholarship Competition for 27 years. This great influence is evidenced by the many great leadership roles these women take on as they progress in their education, family life and contributions to their community. Leesa developed and nurtured a huge network of pageant committee friends and participants. She was greatly admired for her expertise and devotion.

Leesa was a woman of action and consistently recognized by her peers and organizations for her extraordinary ability to lead the way. People rallied around her confident instruction, inspiration and were willing to do anything she asked. All that have known her will remember to move ‘forward and upward’ to meet our potential and work to inspire each person our lives touch.

Survived by brothers Kory Robert Lloyd and Langford R Lloyd, both Riverton, nephews Stanley Langford Lloyd, Seattle, Washington; Chandler Rockwell Lloyd (Valerie and Yuki), Riverton; Spencer Andrew Lloyd and Caleb Alexander Lloyd, Bluffdale; niece Kailey Ann Lloyd, Bluffdale; aunt Marsha Shaw, Riverton; aunt Carol Lloyd Odenwalder (Bob) West Jordan; and many, many first and second cousins. Leesa is preceded in death by her grandparents and beloved mother and father.

A viewing will be held at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale, UT on Friday, June 3, 2022 from 5:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M.

Funeral will be held in the Riverton Park Ward, 12998 South 1300 West, Riverton, UT, on Saturday, June 4. Viewing 10:00 – 10:45 A.M. Funeral to begin at 11: 00 A.M.

Interment at Riverton City Cemetery.