Jeri Lynn Hauff

Jeri Lynn Hauff, 77, of Sun City, Arizona, returned home to her Savior's arms on July 1, 2024. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, she will be missed by all who knew her.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, as the only child of William & Charlotte Narten, Jeri was a bright, happy, inquisitive, independent young woman who graduated from Fenger High School early at the age of sixteen. With additional education from Fox Business College, she pursued a professional career in administrative support, working as a contracts administrator and office manager in the retail, construction, and aeronautics industries with companies like the Brunswick Corporation (Chicago), Taylor Company (Las Vegas), and Hydraulic Research - Textron (Los Angeles). She balanced this career with a love for her family, dedicating significant time and energy to her husband, Graham, and her two sons, Joel and David. Whether that was weekly league bowling, serving as a Den Mother to cub scouts, filling out hundreds of ribbons during each swim meet, attending plays and chorale recitals, or packing up the cargo van and heading out on multi-week family vacations that traversed the country, Jeri was always present and actively engaged in her family’s lives.

After returning to Phoenix in 1986, she and her husband became the Arizona distributors for Snak Club via their corporation, LAF Distributing, providing service to dozens of cafeterias, convenience stores, and gift shops across the state. She worked part-time for H&R Block during tax season for many years, and full-time with Security Title Agency for almost a decade. Her fiscal acuity and attention to detail were tailor made for both roles, where she not only assisted hundreds of individuals, but was also a valued team member, colleague, and “office mom”. She retired from working full-time in 2013.

Most important to Jeri, however, was her involvement in the community. A deeply spiritual person, she was active in the Lutheran church her entire life, often filling leadership and board positions and giving of her time and talents by teaching Sunday School, playing handbells, and assisting with community outreach projects. This passion led her to work as a lobbyist for Lutheran Social Services for four years, representing the needs of the disadvantaged and underserved with the Arizona State Legislature. She participated in grassroots efforts to see the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment across her life, as well as other initiatives that expanded rights and freedoms for everyone. When Jeri and Graham retired to Sun City, she was active in numerous organizations, including the Sun City Handbell Ringers, the Roadrunner Needlers, the Sun City Stitchers, and the Fairway Readers book club, of which she was a founding member and the group’s moderator. 

In her free time Jeri enjoyed all types of crafting such as needlepoint, cross-stitching, beading, and quilting, was an avid reader, became a die-hard University of Arizona sports fan, traveled the US, visiting 49 of the 50 states, and the world, attended the theater and opera, and spent quality time with family and friends. Jeri is survived by her husband of 58 years, Graham, 82, her two sons Joel, 54 (and daughter-in-law Kim, 56), and David, 53, and her four grandchildren Matthew, 25, Allison, 23, Elizabeth, 16, and Victoria, 14. 

A memorial service celebrating Jeri’s life will be held on Saturday, August 3rd, at 11:00am at:

Saint Andrew Lutheran Church
3101 W Cholla St
Phoenix, AZ 85029

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations be made in Jeri's name to Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest.