Joan Farrimond Shurtliff

Joan Farrimond Shurtliff, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, a devoted educator, and faithful servant, passed away on April 11, 2026, at the age of 90.

She was born on February 12, 1936, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Harold and Erma Farrimond. She was the oldest of 5 kids. In 1944, she moved with her family to Richland, Washington, where she was raised and educated, graduating from Columbia High School.

Joan had a lifelong love of learning and education. While attending Brigham Young University, she met the love of her life, Don Shurtliff of Overton, Nevada. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity and spent 55 wonderful and adventurous years of marriage before his passing. Together, they built a life centered on faith, family, and service while enjoying traveling the world, exploring new places, foods, and friendships.

She earned degrees in Education and Business Administration and later received a Master’s degree in Educational Administration. She also participated in a PhD program at the University of California. Her commitment to learning and growth continued throughout her life.

Joan had a remarkable professional life where she excelled in every job opportunity she had. While serving as a secretary at the Atomic Energy Commission and in the Department of Education at BYU, she was known for her exceptional skill and speed as a typist. She went on to become a teacher in Nevada, Utah, and California. Her remarkable organization, vision, and leadership led her to become the first female principal and later the first female assistant superintendent in the Riverside School District in California. She was a trailblazer who inspired many women to pursue leadership roles in education and took great pride in the students and colleagues she influenced.

Joan was a woman of deep faith and lifelong service. She served in numerous church callings, including as a teacher, Sunday School president, and stake librarian. She was especially known for her musical contributions, serving as a ward organist for 60 years, as well as a pianist and temple organist. She was honored to be among the last to play prelude music in the Provo Temple before its closure for remodeling.

More than any title or accomplishment, Joan was a great mother. She loved raising her children and was deeply intentional in creating a warm and happy home. Summers were filled with carefully planned family road trips in the motorhome, providing memories through time spent together. Exceptionally detail-oriented and organized, she found countless ways to provide meaningful opportunities and experiences for her family. She made it a priority to keep her family close, encouraging frequent gatherings and thoughtfully planning family vacations long after her children were grown, continuing until she was no longer able to travel.

She brought a special kind of magic to holidays, especially Christmas. Her children remember their home filled with decorations as elaborate as the North Pole, an abundance of homemade treats, and a sense of wonder and joy that she created so effortlessly. She made each child feel loved and valued. Her influence as a mother remains one of her most enduring legacies.

She is survived by her children, Robert (Phyllis), Linda Beckman, David (De), Debbie Reiser (Steve), Richard (Rich), and Mark; 23 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren; as well as her siblings, Jean Holley, Louise Durfey, and Robert Farrimond. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Erma Farrimond; her sister, Elaine Farrimond; and her beloved husband, Don Shurtliff.

A special thank you to the healthcare professionals who cared for Joan in her later years, and to the many neighbors who regularly visited and offered companionship.

An evening viewing will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 6-8 pm at Wheeler-Sundberg Funeral Home, 495 South State Street, Orem. Funeral services will be on Monday, April 27, at 10:30 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1780 North 165 East, Orem, with a viewing held that morning at the church from 9:00-10:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Cemetery, 3401 South Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT 84106.

To honor Joan's love of education, the family welcomes donations in lieu of flowers to Utah Lunch Debt Relief Foundation https://www.utldr.org/.

Condolences for the family may be expressed on this page.

For those unable to attend the services in person, you may view the Livestream HERE