Don LeBaron, Highland’s first mayor, will be honored this year as the city’s grand marshal. LeBaron will be honored during the annual Highland Fling festivities that run July 29 through Aug. 5.

As Highland is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, it is fitting the man who helped get the city started be honored. In 1977, LeBaron was appointed to be the first president of the town. At that time, Highland was not incorporated. About a year later when it was incorporated, he was elected to be the city’s first mayor. Between the two offices, he served about five and a half years, according to current mayor Mark Thompson.

Thompson said LeBaron was chosen to be grand marshal because of his service to the city.

“Getting things organized for the new town fell to him,” he said.

This year, all former mayors — Thompson is the ninth — are expected to ride on a float in the parade, which will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 5.

“I was delighted,” said LeBaron, about learning he would be grand marshal. The Highland Fling has been a big part of his life and he and his wife, RoseMary, attend every year.

LeBaron grew up in Alberta, Canada, but came to Utah to attend Brigham Young University.

“I liked it and I never went back,” he said.

After meeting his first wife, Rae Marie, who was from the Highland area, he became acquainted with it. “It seemed like a nice place to live and raise a family,” he said. LeBaron and Rae Marie had six children together. She died in 1986.

Before becoming town president, LeBaron was involved with the local LDS Church, serving as bishop of the only ward in the city at the time. Since then, he has continued his service in the church as a patriarch for more than 30 years, giving more than 1,300 patriarchal blessings.

Earlier in his life LeBaron served an LDS mission to the Northern California Mission. In more recent years, he and RoseMary have served three missions together to the Europe-Mediterranean Area Mission, Salt Lake Temple Square Mission and South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

A lot has changed in the past 40 years since LeBaron served Highland as city president and then mayor, when the population was about 800.

“One of the most significant changes is the great shopping area and businesses,” he said.

In the past, there were people who were resistant to development, afraid of increasing crime and changing the small-town feel.

“We waited until feelings changed,” LeBaron said. “It always gives me a thrill to see how it is now.”

Another change is the water system. Back in those days, water came to farms in open ditches. People got their drinking water from surface wells, LeBaron said.

“Some even drank the ditch water,” he said.

Putting the pipe system into Highland was a significant achievement.

“It has been a thrill for me to see Highland turn from brown to green,” he said.

The LDS Church has also grown in the area, LeBaron said. He remembers when Elder Richard L. Evans, a church apostle, came to Highland to dedicate the old church that was formerly a schoolhouse.

“He made a prophecy during his talk. He had had a hard time finding the church house because the area was so rural. But, he said that the time will come when there will be many stakes here, many people. Many families will come. I’ve watched that come true,” LeBaron said.

The LeBarons are excited for the Highland Fling and for the honor of grand marshal. Between them, they have nine children and currently keep busy with family history work.

“Highland is a well-planned city, a beautiful city,” LeBaron said. “The people that live there are the greatest.”