Born November 15, 1975, in Wichita, Kansas, to Judith and Rick Roles, Sarena attended Junior High and High School in Derby, Kansas and married her high-school sweetheart Christopher Appleton on July 15, 1995. Together they moved to Chandler, Arizona in October 1995 where she worked in Accounting & Finance for AutoNation Tempe Toyota. She moved with her husband in January 2007 to San Jose, California (while maintaining permanent residency in Chandler, Arizona) where she worked as a Project Manager for ADP, the global leader in HR / Payroll / Benefits administration. She returned to Chandler, Arizona in May 2010 and continued to hold various Project Management roles with ADP, where she worked for 8 years.
Sarena was a Rescue Mom for dogs as a member of the Hopalong Second Chance Animal Rescue and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA). She rescued three abandoned dogs: an Australian Shepherd (Ghost), a Labrador / Pit-Bull mix (Euphrates), and a Labrador / German Shepherd / Great Dane mix (Invictus – “Invy”). She was also an avid and passionate culinary expert who had a knack for creating “Something out of Nothing” meals that emulated those found in most 5-star restaurants. Sarena’s bubbly personality was to always “be there” for everyone she knew and she continuously put others’ needs before her own. God must’ve been looking for a great cook with an even bigger heart. She loved to read and took her Kindle everywhere she went; she loved her make-up, custom-designed jewelry and had a gift for always looking beautiful in every way possible. She loved to dance, was the life of the party, and could turn every negative into a positive. She once said that she loved her collection of shoes because no matter what….”they just always seem to fit”.
Sarena lived life to the fullest and got the opportunity to travel internationally during her life having visited Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Saint Thomas in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada but she said the most beautiful place she ever visited was when she travelled to Fiji for her 10th year Wedding Anniversary.
Sarena is survived by her husband, Chris Appleton, whom she has known for 25 years; her parents, Rick and Judi Roles; her brother, Derek Roles; her sisters, Krista Roles and Katie Roles; her dog (baby), “Invy”; her in-laws, Bob, Sheila, Brian, and Kevin Appleton; and all of the many lives of people she touched over the last 39 years of her beautiful life.
The public viewing (business-casual) will be held on Thursday, July 2nd from 5pm – 8pm at Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery, 10940 E. Chandler Heights Rd., Chandler, AZ 85248 (480-895-9232). Funeral services and burial (Semi-Formal & NO jackets required due to expected heat in AZ) will be held on Friday, July 3rd starting at 10am also at Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery including a catered reception immediately following the services inside the Valley of the Sun Mortuary Reception Hall until 2pm. Elder Michael Rose of Berean Christian Mission Center in Independence, Kansas (long-time, close family friend) will be the presiding minister.
The Roles’ family will be hosting a “Celebration of Life” reception in Derby, Kansas for Sarena’s friends and family unable to attend the memorial services in Chandler, Arizona on a date to be announced in the near-future.
Flowers are welcome and the family has also designated the Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA (AAWL & SPCA is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, tax ID 23-7149453 and all donations are tax deductible) as the charitable foundation for donations in Sarena’s honor. Proceeds from charitable donations will be used for the adoption and treatment of abandoned animals in Arizona and Sarena's life will be forever commemorated with a permanent installation of a custom dog-bone bench including a classic pewter sign with engraved black lettering at the Arizona Animal Welfare League's main adoption center (25 N. 40th Street Phoenix, AZ 85034). The links below give you the option of either making donations on the AAWL & SPCA website or using a printer-friendly (.pdf format) where you can mail a check:
Here is a link to the AAWL & SPCA Memorial Gift page (copy/paste into your web-browser):
https://aawl.org/content/donate-aawl
NOTE: If donating online, please click on "Tribute and Memorial Gifts", then classify donation as "in memory of person or pet" and that you want your donation dedicated to "Sarena Roles Appleton".
Here is a link to a printer-friendly AAWL & SPCA donation form (copy/paste into your web-browser):
https://aawl.org/sites/default/files/media/aawl-printable-donation-form_0.pdf
NOTE: If donating via check through the mail, please reference that you want your donation dedicated to "Sarena Roles Appleton" on the form or check.
Contact Laura Hinze - Donor Development Manager at AAWL & SPCA (Phone: 602-273-6852 x106 or E-Mail: [email protected]) for any questions.
Sarena Roles Appleton's presence will forever live on in all of our daily lives as we “Celebrate” her for eternity!!!
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