Joan Elizabeth Cahoon Yarrington

Joan Elizabeth Cahoon Yarrington, wife, mom, sister, aunt, cousin, grandma, great-grandma and friend, passed away unexpectedly Monday, July 8th, 2024. 

Joan was born on November 19th, 1950, to John Everett Cahoon Jr and Mary Madalon Young in San Diego, California. Joan enjoyed a magical childhood filled with singing, imagination and unconditional love with her parents and siblings, Nancy and Jack. Her mother passed away April 22nd, 1959, from cancer when Joan was just 8 years old. Joan stepped into her mother’s shoes unconditionally loving and caring for her siblings. 

As a singing prodigy, she took lessons from a young age and won many competitions and was in many elite choirs in her youth. When she was 15 years old, she met a young woman, Marsha Beeler (Yates), in choir. Marsha was different and had a light about her. Joan later found that light to be the Light of Christ. Having searched for answers to where her mother was and for a church that was patterned after Christ’s church with apostles, prophets and baptism by immersion, Joan found her answers in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on May 14, 1966. After doing so, her stepmother, by deception to her and her father, kicked her out of the home. 

The Beeler family, the family of her heart, took her in as one of their own. Joan continued singing and grew in faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

She attended BYU and was trained in Opera. Joan was given the opportunity to go to Europe her junior year of college to join an opera company. However, not wanting to leave BYU if her husband was there, she went to the Lord in prayer, and immediately met the love of her life. While singing for the 1971 October General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Tabernacle at Temple Square, she saw a handsome young man walking up the steps to the choir loft and followed him. Dennis Yarrington heard the words, “Stop, Turn Around!” He turned and saw her. Both felt a rush of the Spirit in that look. This led to a ride home, a date, and just days later, an engagement. Dennis and Joan were married December 19, 1971, in the Los Angeles Temple. 

Singing the whole way, 7 children and 26 years later, Joan and Dennis joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir together. They went on many adventures in the choir spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ! It was her mission and she loved every moment. In her words, “The highest and best use of my God-given talent. I know He lives! And while He lives I’ll sing!” 

To know Joan was to know perfect faith, pure love and selfless service. She was an angel on earth, and Heaven needed her back. We miss you, Mom. 

Joan is survived by her husband, Dennis and seven children: Tina (Adam), Jeannette, David (Rachel), Marybeth (Michael), Melissa (Andrew), Brian (Taryn), and Catherine; her sister Nancy, brother Jack (Jean), 21 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Mary, parents of her heart, Beth and Vernon, and grandchildren Zachariah, Caleb, Aenthan, Simeon and Luke.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at Ricks Creek Chapel, 1475 North 50 East, Centerville, Utah. A viewing will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at the church prior to services.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.