John Yarrington was known to always say to his students that “writing clarifies thinking,” and that is what this is. He leaves not just behind a legacy of musical and teaching excellence, but more importantly a legacy of love for all mankind. To know John Yarrington, meant to know what it meant to be loved.

In 1999, he joined the faculty of Houston Baptist University, now Houston Christian University, and breathed fresh new life into the choral program there. As the Dean of the School of Music, he not only made sure that all of the academic administrative things were done correctly with the help of his long time assistant, Kelly McGill, but more importantly he got to know and love his students. He had the capacity to bring the best out of people not only musically, but just in life. He was also the shoulder to cry on when a student needed. His office door was always open, and there was always candy in his candy jar. He became a father to many students who did not have a father in their lives. He was more than just a professor to all his students.

In May of 2010, Dr. Y took Houston Baptist University’s Schola Cantorum, the university’s top choir, on tour through Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. As I look back now, I realize that we went to almost every church that Dr. Y ever served. We saw his legacy on display at McFarlin UMC in Norman, OK; Pulaski Heights UMC in Little Rock, AR; and various other churches. At these two churches in particular, his old choir members would recount all of the different traditions and services, but more importantly the impact that he left on each one of them. The people remembered more about the way that he loved them rather than what they sang with him directing.

During his time in Houston, he also became the Chancel Choir Director of First Presbyterian Church of Houston with the wonderful Dr. Rhonda Furr at the helm of the organ. As he would jokingly recall, he was a lifelong Methodist, teaching at a Baptist university, and directing a choir at a Presbyterian church. He loved his choir there deeply from meeting some of them for a quick dinner at Wendy’s down the street before rehearsal then going out with many more of them after rehearsal to Chapultepec. He showed over and over again the community of choir and the better the community, the better music could be made.

Even in his retirement the past few years, he sought to make music and teach music wherever he could from being a clinician in the Houston area for many of his former students to teaching private lessons.

John Yarrington will be deeply missed by so many because of the impact that he made on so many lives. It is up to those on whom he made an impact to carry his legacy forward.