He was born Aug. 28, 1927, in Girardville, Penn. to Albert and Edna (Schneff) Yarnall, the second of five children. He spent his childhood in Ashland, Penn., where he eventually worked in the coal mines, or “Buck’s Patch,” as he called it.
Years later, while visiting Pennsylvania’s Coal Region with his children and grandchildren, John went on a tour of one of the mines. He was commenting on various things at the mine, and when the guide realized that he had been a miner as a child the tour turned into storytime as John regaled the group with his tales.
John left Ashland when he was 17 to join the US Navy. He remained in the Navy for 22 years, from 1944 until 1967, serving in World War II and the Korean War before working as a recruiter during the Vietnam War. He was extremely proud of his Navy service.
While he was enlisted in the Navy, he attended a dance held by the “Blue Bells,” a club comprised of female Bell Telephone employees in Montreal, Canada, welcoming US sailors to Montreal. At the dance he met Joan May, the woman who stole his heart. Joan was not planning on attending the dance, but was encouraged by friends, and as they say, the rest is history.
They were married on Sept. 3, 1949. They were madly in love for 53 years, barring an incident with a frying pan, and had four children, Terry, Stephen, David and Debbie. They moved around the East Coast for several years before settling in Wildwood, Ill. when John was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Base.
After retiring from the US Navy he worked at the Great Lakes Credit Union for a further 22 years before retiring in 1989.
John loved to watch any sports game, but especially his favorite team the Chicago Cubs, even though they disappointed him most years. He loved camping with his wife in their RV, especially in Shawano, Wisc. He enjoyed traveling, spending his winters in Tucson, Ariz. for many years after his retirement and taking many vacations to Maui.
He will be remembered for his cribbage skills, his baby blue eyes, his love of martinis, his old sailor songs that he taught his grandchildren to sing at very young ages and his ability to always make his family members laugh. John was always known to make an oftentimes outlandish, but always hilarious comment or gesture. After surviving a sextuple bypass, he woke up and promptly flipped his concerned family the bird when they asked how he was doing. He was the funniest person they knew, and they will miss him greatly.
John is survived by his children Terry (Betty) Yarnall of Lake Villa, Stephen (Pam) Yarnall of Mackinaw, David (Jane) Yarnall of Lindenhurst and Debbie (Bill) Nadelhoffer of Lake Villa. He was Papa John to nine grandchildren, Jenni Yarnall, Jamie (Jim) Noffsinger, Josh (Amelia) Yarnall, Jake (Erin) Yarnall, Carlea (Anthony) West, Erin Yarnall, Jonny Yarnall, Amanda (Brendon) Andres and Kevin Nadelhoffer, and a great-grandfather to seven, Paige and Blaine Pickens, Evelyn Yarnall, Reese Yarnall, Luke and Leo West and Harry Andres.
He will be missed by his sister, Melva (Bill) Kaiser, brother-in-law Gordon (Lois) May, numerous nieces and nephews, and his great friends, including the DeRue family who formally adopted him and his wife into their large extended family.
He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Joan Isabel Yarnall, his parents Albert and Edna Yarnall, siblings Doris Korn, Albert Yarnall Jr. and Marlin Yarnall, as well as his nieces Darra Silverman, Marlene Yarnall, Bonnie Yarnall, Diane Yarnall and Kelly Kaiser, and great-nephew Donald Yarnall Jr.
His family will be having a private ceremony, followed by a celebration of life event held at a later date.
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