Joan Carol Yarwood

Joan Carol (Helfter) Yarwood

May 23, 1930 - July 21, 2023

POQUOSON, VA - Joan Carol (Helfter) Yarwood was born May 23,1930 to Bernice (Gilles) and Lorenz Helfter of New Haven Iowa. She was raised in New Haven with her four siblings Donald, Larry, Marilyn, and Robert. She attended school at St. Mary's in New Haven, graduating in 1948. She went to the College of St. Theresa in Winona Minnesota. After graduating with her RN, she worked as a nurse first in Los Angeles California and then in Ann Arbor Michigan.

In 1958 she met James (Jim) Yarwood, a Captain in the USAF. They were married in New Haven Iowa in 1961 and had two daughters, Barbara Jo, and Carol Patricia. As an Air Force family, they lived in Georgia, Iowa, and Louisiana. In 1971. Jim retired from the Air Force, and her family moved to Mount Pleasant Michigan, where both Joan and Jim went back to college to earn second degrees in education at Central Michigan University.

In 1972 they moved to Rockford Illinois where Joan had a second career for 20 years as a second-grade teacher. She continued her own education as well, receiving her Master of Science in Elementary Education. Upon retiring, Joan was able to devote more time to traveling and visiting family. In 2010 she and Jim moved to Poquoson Virginia to be closer to family. She and Jim enjoyed spending half their year in Poquoson and half their year in Florida as official snowbirds until 2019.

Joan was a voracious reader, a creative cook, a faithful member of the Catholic Church, a passionate supporter of U of M, an avid sports fan, a big walker, and a volunteer for many organizations.

She loved being Grandma Jo and was blessed with seven granddaughters born in a four-and-a-half-year span. She was diagnosed with cancer in March of this year. She maintained a sweet and appreciative attitude in all aspects of her life right until the end. She died peacefully on the morning of July 21st, sitting in her favorite chair, and holding her husband's hand as she departed.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Jim, her daughters Barbara Jo and Carol Patricia, her two sons-in-law Jerry Wishner and Doug Furst, her seven granddaughters: Shalom (Tom), Allison, Joanna Christina (Jared), Melissa, Angela, Brittany, and Juliet, her sister Marilyn Johanns and her brother Bob Helfter. A Celebration of Life service will be held at Saint Peter's Catholic Church, in New Haven Iowa at 10:30 am on August 25, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Association.