JoAn Matweyew

JoAn (Yarbrough) Matweyew was born on the 17^th of March in 1946, to Marshall and Elsie Yarbrough.  She was the oldest of five children, and is survived by her sisters Wanda Yarbrough, Debra Poulsen, Marsha Echols and brother Gary Yarbrough; her two sons Michael and Wesly Matweyew, daughter-in-law Stephani, grandchildren Zachary, Courtney, and Gavin; and great-granddaughter Scarlett.

It was always easy to remember her birthday as it fell on St. Patrick’s Day.

As a child she loved playing outdoors with her sister and side-kick Wanda.  They could get themselves into some wild capers.  They were the cutest little kids and their childhood photos in many ways resemble the “little rascals.”  They loved to sit and reminisce about those special days.

She always thought of herself as a tomboy and was able to hold her own with the boys in her neighborhood.

JoAn was married to Nikolay Matweyew for 48 years before he passed in 2015.  Nick was a strong and powerful man whose family migrated from Russia when he was a small child.  He was a man of great determination, exceptional in sales, a combination which helped to provide a good life for JoAn and their boys in California.

They were a busy family taking their boys to soccer games and other activities.  JoAn enjoyed the sidelines as Nick coached their son’s sports teams, and again later with their grandkid’s teams.  She also liked the field, playing on a semi-pro women’s team.  They enjoyed activities together as a family, such as mountain biking, skiing, hiking, etc.  She loved her family and grew in many ways through her experiences as a wife and mother.  Above all she wanted to be a strength and a blessing in their lives.

JoAn loved to read, she always had a book around and would sit for hours with a pack of sunflower seeds and pass the time wrapped up in all kinds of adventures.  This habit of reading stayed with her throughout her life.  She was a fast reader, and she had incredible comprehension and retention.  She had many hymns, poetry and scriptures memorized and filed away in her mind.

Often described as kind, generous and authentic, JoAn had devoted and loving friends.  Whether they were some of her new and cherished neighbor-friends that she had come to know in recent years, or the friends she had known since high school.

JoAn developed an interest in running and trained hard to participate in the LA Marathon and the San Francisco Marathon.  She had the gift of keeping herself motivated to reach her goals.

She held many prestigious work titles throughout her life before retiring from Amgen, an international biotechnology company.  She kept herself strong and going even with her rigorous work schedule.

JoAn was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, always diligent in her studying and preparation for any assignment she was given.  After her retirement, she found more time to serve faithfully in many church callings and was a leader among her peers.  She served as a Relief Society President and Young Women’s President twice, a Gospel Doctrine teacher and a Compassionate Service Leader.  She loved serving as a teacher for the children turning 8, but by far the church calling she enjoyed with all her heart, and which brought her great fulfillment was her calling as a temple worker.  She would get up very early on Wednesday mornings to do an early morning shift at the Los Angeles temple before returning home in time to take Nick to dialysis.  She spent much of her time over 7 years caring for his health needs, before he passed.  She thought of these experiences as blessings to help her learn greater love, patience and tolerance.  It wasn’t always easy, but JoAn kept trying to be a better disciple through the challenges she faced in life.

In conclusion, JoAn would want everyone to know how grateful she was for every kind deed done for her in these last few months of her life.  Above all the service that Michael and Stephanie gave her at the end was so meaningful to her.  She loved you all!!  She will be greatly missed by her friends and loved ones left behind.  Her memory serves as a light and a beacon for us all.

In lieu of cards or flowers, JoAn requested that donations be made to Gardner Granny Orphan Home:  https://www.liftinglivesinkenya.org/get-involved.