Heather Michelle Conner

Heather Michelle Conner, 31, of Boise, Idaho, passed away on November 22, 2023, in Boise.

Heather was born on January 19, 1992, in Boise, Idaho, to her parents, Robert Conner and Heidi Hunt. She was the cherished sister of Mechelle Conner, Robert Conner, Gracie Sutherland, and Aunt to Aliah Casberg.

Heather attended Borah High School and later pursued her education at Job Corps. She was a dedicated student and always strived for excellence in her studies. 

In her free time, Heather enjoyed a variety of hobbies that brought her joy and fulfillment. She had a deep love for puppy dogs and wolves, and she found solace and excitement in archery. Heather was an avid fan of Harry Potter and had a fascination with vampires and werewolves. She admired Wonder Woman and found inspiration in her strength and courage. Heather also enjoyed fishing and exploring the outdoors on ATV's. She had a creative side and expressed herself through art.

Heather had her struggles in life due to some developmental disabilities. There were some that thought she would “need a man” or “assistance” for the rest of her life, but her great strength and determination showed those same people that she was as capable as any person. That strength and determination contributed to many of her proudest moments. While she did have issues with accomplishments that many take for granted in our everyday lives, her father remembers some of those wonderful days that brought Heather a lot of joy. There was her Science Fair project in Sixth Grade, exploring how to polish rocks and what was effective, which won her a Blue Ribbon. Heather was running home that day, smiling from ear to ear, when her father was driving to school to pick her up. The day she graduated from High School, Heather spent most of her day getting prepared for the graduation ceremony and her excitement was contagious, to say the least. How proud and excited she was when she received her driver’s license and, more importantly to her, the day she purchased her car. The excitement in her voice was overwhelming.

Every moment her family looks around the house that Heather grew up in, will be memories of her help and excitement in remodeling and repainting, building the deck, the new siding, and the look of accomplishment when Heather and her sister, Mechelle, decided to repaint their room by themselves. She was not just “the helper.” Heather worked with the tools, drilling holes, using the nail gun, and providing her opinion in the design.

As her fight with cancer progressed, even then she was a source of inspiration and admiration. Heather’s oncologist, Dan Zuckerman, was always surprised at how she faced her illness and treatment with her strength and resilience. Even on her last appointment with Dan, he had nothing but praise for her determination.

As her father, I bring up these moments not only to give examples of how strong Heather is, but also to let her know how proud I am. As a father, I cannot express how proud I am of Heather and admire her for what she did in her life. I hope her family and her friends remember her loving heart, her strong will, her tenacity, and draw inspiration from her as well. 

Heather Michelle Conner will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. May her kind and adventurous spirit be forever remembered.