On Thursday, August 10, 2023, Joan Whiteley Taylor Jackson passed from this life and joined the heavenly angels on the other side.

She was born on the first day of Spring, March 20, 1940, to George Whitaker Taylor and Helen Whiteley Taylor. Just like the season, her birth brought immense warmth and beauty to this world. All will miss her bright eyes, sparkling smile, and words of wisdom. With her perpetual positivity, she made simple joys magnificent and major challenges mere bumps in the road.

Joan accomplished an unusual amount during her earthly existence. She was born in Chicago and raised in Portland, Oregon. She loved her growing up years with her beloved family and spoke often of their wonderful home, opportunities such as dancing and piano lessons, singing groups, her time at Grant High School, and venturing to the Oregon Coast or to climb Mt. Hood.

Joan attended Brigham Young University where she received her degree in education. Upon graduation, she taught second grade in Salt Lake City. She was later pulled by her adventurous spirit to apply to teach overseas with the U.S. Army. While waiting on this assignment, she used her shorthand skills and fulfilled another dream of working for a congressman on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Her stories of listening to the Senate during lunch, teaching in Bad Nauheim, Germany, skiing in the Alps, and driving the autobahn are family lore to this day.

It was at a summer barbeque back in Salt Lake City that she met the love of her life, Douglas Romney Jackson. They were married on August 17, 1966 in the Salt Lake Temple. Until the day she died, she considered herself incredibly lucky and counted Doug as one of her greatest blessings.

The couple moved from Utah to New York, where they spent the next 35 years building their home and family. Joan devoted herself to creating childhoods that each of her eight children cherish dearly. She filled their home with the best of everything; the best music, the best books, and the best people (because she believed and could make anyone who entered feel that they were the best). She leaves behind many fond memories for her children like hearing her correct an F# from the kitchen during piano practice, listening to her read Mrs. Piggle Wiggle before bed, eating her homemade bread after school, waking up to an early morning bag of hot New York bagels, hearing her laughter as she talked with friends, learning how to properly clean a bathroom or make your bed, being torn between getting more sleep or joining her to catch the 11:00 p.m. episode of Cheers, seeing her show up to your game, feeling the magic of Christmas Eve and countless other dinners and gatherings, and venturing into New York City to get a hot dog and wander through the Metropolitan Museum of Art or just to Scarsdale Village to grab a slice at Vinnie’s Pizzeria.

She liked to say that she played as hard as she worked and that she worked very hard. Once her children were grown, she worked as a teacher aid in the local school district. She also served in many capacities for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She responded to any call, whether it was to teach primary or gospel doctrine, lead young women, or serve as stake Relief Society and Primary president in New York, NY. Doug and Joan also loved their time as senior missionaries in Frankfurt, Germany. Throughout her life she ministered to those around her no matter their background or circumstance.

Classy to her core, Joan savored all kinds of cultural experiences and taught her children to embrace every opportunity. She loved skiing and dark chocolate and often said she hoped heaven includes both. Her least favorite task was doing laundry in the basement, but she did return socks with a butterscotch in the toe if the kids remembered to pin them together. Joan appreciated getting her Vitamin D, whether it was sunbathing at the Scarsdale Pool on a typical summer day or on a family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A devoted Utah Jazz, New York Yankees, and BYU fan, she will no doubt be cheering them all on from above. Taking in the mountains, the sunset or a waving American flag brought her great joy. She also found joy in traveling with Doug on numerous occasions. Her favorite pastime by far was people; her family and friends meant the world to her.

She lived in Salt Lake City for the past 20 years and truly enjoyed this chapter of her life, especially the opportunity it gave her to be closer to extended family. She could often be found at her dance class rocking out to ABBA, walking around the track with weights in her hands while calling her children or memorizing inspirational quotes, or doling out advice and chocolate milk shakes on Ponderosa Drive.

Above all else, her faith in our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ was unshakeable. She not only believed in the restored gospel and shared that faith with her family, she embodied what it means to walk with God.

Joan was surrounded by her loving family in her final days. She is survived by her husband Doug, her children Juliane Taylor (Jeff), Jennifer Buckner (David), Jill Councill (Jay), Johnny Jackson, Laurie Gonzalez, Jeffrey Jackson (Emily), Christine Fowler (Douglas), and Stephen Jackson (Elaine), her siblings David, Kay, Diane, Mary Ann, and Suzanne, her 27 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Scott.

We love you forever Mom.

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Services:

Thursday, 8/24

Viewing 6-8pm

Larkin Sunset Lawn

2350 E 1300 S

Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Friday, 8/25

10:30-11:30 am Viewing

12:00pm Funeral Service

LDS Chapel

6890 Whitmore Way

Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

Interment will follow at Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery

For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom. Please visit Joan's obituary page at www.larkinmortuary.com for information.