Sarah Joy Shafer

Jimmie Sue will be conducting the memorial service of Sarah Shafer, the daughter of Pastors Don and Vivian Shafer, on February 13th, at 4pm. The service will be held at Anchorage City Church. A reception will follow.

Sarah Joy Shafer, 24, of Fort Collins, Colo., and Anchorage, died Jan. 29, 2010, at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Anchorage City Church, 1301 W. 100th Ave. A reception will follow the service.

Ms. Shafer was born March 20, 1985, in Walla Walla, Wash., to Don and Vivian (Webster) Shafer.

Sarah spent the last three years at Colorado State University. She was a junior majoring in environmental science. She was a lover of animals, salsa dancing, knitting, the arts including photography and painting, and she was an avid reader. She was also very interested in environmental issues. She attended West High School and graduated as valedictorian from Alaska Military Youth Academy in Anchorage.

Sarah was intelligent and honest, someone who was not afraid to challenge and question the status quo. She was a tough cookie with a soft marshmallow interior. Sarah had friends from all over the world and she embraced a variety of cultures. She was our bright, shining star.

Survivors include her parents, Don and Vivian Shafer; brothers, Joshua and Justin Shafer of Anchorage; grandfathers, Cecil Webster of Anchorage, Robert Shafer of Walla Walla and Dave Davis of College Place, Wash.; aunts and uncles, Curtis and Kelly Webster, Gary and Linda Webster, Keith and Lily Webster, Karen and Jeremy Gore, Cathy and Bob Follett, Lori Tucker, Bill and Esneide Shafer; and cousins, Stephanie, Alex, Christine, Max, Kassidy, Tia, Brandon, Jordan, Hayden, Morgan, Austin, Madison, Asia, Logan and Caden.