Santa Clara, Utah – Nina JoAnn Huff Arnold, 81, of Santa Clara, Utah passed away on May 25, 2024, due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.
JoAnn was born on April 10, 1943, to Charles Bernell Huff and Leah Roberta Marshall in Price, Utah. She attended North Emery High School, where she met and fell in love with Brent D. Arnold. They were married on August 25, 1961, in the Salt Lake Temple. JoAnn and Brent raised their four sons Cory, Troy, Devin, and Kray in Orangeville, Utah, where they lived for 30 years.
JoAnn was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and her Savior. She held many leadership positions, serving as a Primary and Relief Society President and in the Young Women’s presidency. She served a church service mission in the St. George family history center. Her favorite callings were in the St. George Temple, where she served as an ordinance worker for eight years. She also served with her husband, Brent, in the St. George temple presidency as the assistant to the matron from 2013 to 2016. She was an avid family history researcher. She researched thousands of individual names for temple work.
JoAnn loved to sing. While singing in many choirs and even writing a few original works, a highlight was singing in the Southern Utah Heritage choir for almost 10 years and touring throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe.
JoAnn was a talented, energetic woman who was always excited to learn new skills. She held a number of jobs over the years, working as a secretary for Hercules Powder Company in Salt Lake City, a clerk for the Salt Lake City Police Department, and as the Orangeville City Treasurer. She was also known for her artistic contributions. In Orangeville, she organized the Emery County Community Theatre, where she participated in numerous musical productions. JoAnn was Guinevere in Camelot, Elisa in My Fair Lady, Dolly in Hello Dolly, Sister Amnesia in Nunsense, Peter in Peter Pan, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, and Anna in the King and I.
In addition to participating in theater, JoAnn also wrote a few plays and musicals. After moving to St. George, she adapted one of those plays into a Christmas novel (Miracles for Michael) that was published by Cedar Fort. She wrote a number of additional novels: Journey of the Promise, Pages from the Past, The Silent Patriots, Prince Etcheon and the Secret of the Ancients, and The Buckskin Trail. Her books range from action-packed adventures to heartwarming tales of friendship. She had an incredible imagination and loved to tell stories about people of all ages and from all walks of life.
JoAnn was also a gifted painter. She began learning oil painting in her thirties, when she joined a painting group in Orangeville. After starting with landscapes and still lifes, she quickly moved into portrait work. JoAnn loved to paint children (often her grandchildren) and scenes of Western American life. Her paintings have won awards from the Southern Utah Guild.
JoAnn is preceded in death by her grandparents: Charles and Anne Huff and John and Martha Marshall; and by her parents, Bernell and Leah Huff. She is survived by her husband, Brent; sisters: Karen Truman, Linda (Dan) Cowell, Susan (Scott) Davis; brother, Gary Huff; children: Cory (Rochelle) in Tempe Arizona, Troy (Allison) in Omaha Nebraska, Devin (Christina) in Kuna Idaho, Kray (Vicky) in Chandler Arizona; fifteen grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Pathway Hospice Care for their assistance and care.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Pioneer Parkway Chapel, 3680 Pioneer Parkway, Santa Clara UT 84765. Visitations will be held at the church on Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Thursday, prior to the services, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at the Santa Clara City Cemetery, 1950 Ancestor Way, Santa Clara UT 84765.
Services will be live streamed. A link will be posted at the bottom of her obituary on Metcalf Mortuary’s website.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Please visit our website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences and funeral listings.
Nina JoAnn Arnold
