Throughout her short life, JaiAnna, “Kitty” or “JJ”, was known for her very witty and feisty personality, loving heart, generous spirit, and genuine, specific, original style that she owned and loved. Her favorite color was black, because she said, “it matches everything.” JaiAnna loved skateboarding and spending time at Union Skate Park every chance she could get. If she weren’t skateboarding, she was always sketching, drawing, painting in her sketchbooks, on shoes, clothes, rocks, tables, pretty much anywhere she could. She loved listening to various genres of music from alternative, metal, independent, to feel-good pop music. If she wasn't doing any of these she was reading...constantly, lost in a book. JaiAnna enjoyed hanging out with several people that she considered her best friends: Scarlett, Trinity, Kendal, Haydn, Jazmine, Kamryn, Angie, & Cece; but, none more than her oldest sister, Jayna Leilani. JaiAnna genuinely loved all her siblings. All those fortunate enough to have known and loved her will truly miss her, immensely.
JaiAnna was born on December 12, 2006 to Jennifer Periales Shafer at Balboa Naval Medical Center (NMSCD) in San Diego, California. In 2008, the Shafer Family relocated to Tolleson, Arizona.
It wasn’t until 2014, that they moved to Glendale, Arizona.
The majority of JaiAnna’s school attendance was at Bellair Elementary School and Desert Sky Middle School, where she was either on Honor Roll or Principal’s List since the third grade. Throughout the years, JaiAnna was an active member of the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, having attended the Rozenzweig, Tolleson, Sands, & Tri-City West BGCs.
JaiAnna had played the saxophone in band at school, a variety of sports within the BGC programs, volunteered with her mom and Gramma Lisa, attended the kids’ program at Grace Walk Church, volunteered within BGC programs to help support our nation’s troops; preparing care packages, assisting and comforting elders and veterans within assisted living centers, and generally helped others.
Although JaiAnna experienced bullying first-hand through elementary and, even at times in middle school, she may have faced certain hardships like most kids, but JaiAnna was strong. She overcame. She became empowered within herself, and ultimately became a light to those who found themselves within similar predicaments. JaiAnna had a truly remarkable, genuine character, with a beautiful, kind soul.
In the beginning, JaiAnna was raised solely by her mother, Jennifer. JaiAnna and Jayna called themselves and their mom, “the trio”, because it was mainly the three of them and God seemingly against the world for a time. Ultimately, JaiAnna became a part of a huge, loving, blended family with numerous family members and many who came to love and adore her.
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My dearest, sweet JaiAnna,
Thank you, my love.
Though our time was short together, you made our lives that much more beautiful...
Thank you for all our random talks and for always checking in on me...
with all your random, "Hey, Mom..." comments and warm hugs.
I love and miss you so much, baby girl...
Here’s to our caramel coconut & French vanilla coconut coffee dates…
We all love you! I miss you.
Rest easy sweetheart, until we meet, again.
You're in our hearts... always & forever
Love,
Mom
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“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.”
--Reinhold Niebuhr
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JaiAnna is survived by her mom, Jennifer Periales Shafer Rivera; Dads: Joseph Rivera; Joshua Postgate; Christopher Armington;
JaiAnna's siblings: Jayna Leilani Shafer, Jacey Liora Shafer, Julian Periales Shafer Rivera, & Christian Armington;
ALL of JaiAnna's loving grandparents: Amelia "Mama" Periales & Richard "Lolo Rick" Pearce, Robert "Lolo G-Bob" & Ritchel “Mama Cheng” Shafer, Jose "Tata Bogie" Rivera & Kristie "Nana" Doughty, Lisa "Gramma" & Jeff "Grandpa" McAffee; Crisanto "Lolo" and Marlene "Lola" Armington and Isolda DeJesus; Great-grandmother, Teresita "Grandma Shafer".
JaiAnna's survived by many more extended family members, which includes many cousins, aunts, and uncles (i.e., Uncle Robert, Auntie Myranda, Uncle Alex, Auntie Janele, Auntie Bea, Auntie Clare, Uncle Nath, Mama V & Papa, Uncle Vic, Uncle Vins, Uncle Virgil, Auntie Valerie, Uncle Izzy, Tia Jess, Auntie Tina, Uncle Sly, Uncle Tony, Uncle Jakey, Uncle Jared, Uncle Jaden, Uncle Rory, Kayleigh, Hannah, Kash, and many more...)
JaiAnna's close and considered best friends: (Ate) Jayna, Scarlett, Trinity, Kamryn, Kendal, Haydn, Jazmine, Angie, CeCe, Charlie;
JaiAnna's boyfriend: Orlando “Orange Juice”
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JaiAnna is preceded by her stepmother, Tamanne “Tam” Smith Armington, great-aunt Caridad “Caring” Mirador, & her friend, Ella Thomas. Rest in peace, beautiful ladies. Please take care of our JaiAnna.
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To honor JaiAnna’s wishes, there will be no funeral service.
Instead, a celebration of JaiAnna’s life and visitation will be held on:
Saturday, February 27, 2021 from 2:00-6:00 pm at
Chapel of the Chimes Mortuary, 7924 N 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona 85301
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In light of COVID, Chapel of the Chimes with accommodate up to 100 guests with social-distancing measures in place. If you are unable to attend JaiAnna's services due to COVID, we sincerely understand. You may view the service live stream by clicking on the link for Live Stream.
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Please do not feel obligated to do so, but if you are inclined to, JaiAnna's memorial donations may be made by contacting the Chapel of the Chimes to help with JaiAnna's services; any superseding amount will go directly to JaiAnna's immediate family.
Please know that we thank you whole-heartedly in advance for all of your thoughts, prayers, compassion, and support for the unforeseen, tragic passing of our daughter, JaiAnna Makayla Shafer.
Heaven truly gained an amazing angel... Though times are hard, JaiAnna would not want us to be sad, she would want us to rejoice in her name, do our best to relearn how to live our lives to the fullest, and be at peace within ourselves; loving one another.
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"5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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