Tarin Ann Bovara McLarnon

Tarin Ann Bovara McLarnon was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 1, 1968 to Louis and Catherine Bovara. She completed her earthly journey on January 16, 2017 at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House in Collierville, TN. She was surrounded by her beloved family and close friends during her stay at hospice. Tarin’s life was short but impactful. She purposed in her heart to love the Lord, to love her family, and to love others. Because of that, her life made a profound impression on all who knew her.

Tarin spent her childhood in Wilmington, IL. She attended St. Rose Elementary and Wilmington Junior High schools. Later, her family relocated to Pea Ridge, Arkansas and then on to Benton, Arkansas. During her high school years, Tarin became interested in journalism. She worked on the school yearbook and wrote for the Pea Ridge newspaper. Tarin graduated from Pea Ridge High School as the class Salutatorian in 1986. She put herself through college by working in management at Walmart. She attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and eventually completed her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration in Marketing degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1991.

Upon completion of college, Tarin began a successful career at UPS. Her job took her to Atlanta, Georgia and then to Memphis, Tennessee. She joined the Singles Class at Central Church, where she would eventually meet her former husband, Patrick McLarnon. Pat and Tarin were married on May 10, 1996. Their first child, Katie arrived on October 23, 1997. Three years later, on January 19, 2000 the couple would welcome a son named Canon. A second daughter named Kari would complete the family on October 7, 2003. Tarin had a rising career and was on track to have a powerful position within the UPS corporation. She gave up a lucrative job to work from home as a medical transcriptionist so she could focus on raising her children. Tarin became active in community programs such as the Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs of America. She also volunteered as a helper and room mom at Tara Oaks Elementary.

Tarin was a devoted mother to her children. Her children brought her immense joy! She reveled in their accomplishments. She encouraged them in their walk with the Lord and was so proud of the kindness and work ethic that she saw in them. In the last six years of her life, she raised her family as a single mother while battling cancer. She continued to work as much as she could while rarely missing a child’s activity, game, or program at school. She also continued to serve the Lord. She remained a faithful and active member of Central Church until her death. She went on several mission trips to Guatemala and the Navajo Nation in Arizona; helping to establish annual trips to the Indian people. She also served on the Women’s Ministry Board as the Chairman who oversaw several Mom’s In Prayer groups for local schools. She participated in the Writer’s Circle, the God and Country Circle, the Church Staff Circle, the Inner City Ministry Circle, and the Mom2Mom Ministry. She taught Sunday School and volunteered in Music Camp and the Kid’s Choir programs. She also volunteered as a counselor for Camp Tsungani.

Tarin was empathetic and felt a special calling to minister to the sick and hurting. She was involved in a ministry that helped to encourage and meet the needs of single mothers with cancer. She was generous with her resources and was known to be the first one to take a meal or a load of groceries to the home of a sick friend.

Tarin was a devoted follower of Christ. She knew that she had the hope of eternal life because she believed the words of the Bible which promise heaven to those who have placed their trust in Christ and accepted the free gift of salvation.

Tarin is survived by her children, Katherine McLarnon, Canon McLarnon, and Kari McLarnon of Collierville, Tennessee, her father, Louis (Donna) Bovara of Benton, Arkansas, as well as her siblings, Sarah (Servin) Owens Orellana of Benton, Arkansas, Aimee Bovara of Ashville, North Carolina, Andrew (Ashley) Bovara of California, Michelle Wolford of Benton, Arkansas, and Michael Casteel of Little Rock, Arkansas, several nieces and nephews, and numerous friends. Tarin was preceded in death by her mother, Catherine Irene Sinnott Bovara.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that memorials be sent to the ministries and organizations that were the closest to Tarin’s heart: The Ovarian Cancer Awareness Foundation (Bartlett). www.ocafoundation.org. The Guatemala Missions at St James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212. www.stjameslr.org. The Navajo Missions at Central Church, 2005 E. Winchester Blvd, Collierville, TN 38017.

The family cordially invites friends to share remembrances of Tarin on Friday, January 20, 2017 from five o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue in Memphis. The funeral will be held at Central Church in Collierville on Saturday, January 21 at 1:00pm. The interment will take place privately immediately following the funeral at Memorial Gardens in Bartlett.