Sarah Jensen Elhoff

Sarah Jensen Elhoff, beloved wife, mother, Nana, sister, and dear friend, went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2026, at the age of 73. She passed away peacefully in Surprise, Arizona, surrounded by the family she loved so deeply, following a courageous journey with primary progressive aphasia and, later, Alzheimer's disease.

Sarah was born on August 1, 1952, in Inglewood, California, to Richard Sands and Virginia Roberts. As the oldest of six children, she grew up in the San Fernando Valley in a lively home overflowing with siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many animals. She built her own family first in Santa Monica before making San Diego home for many years, ultimately retiring to Arizona.

Sarah's life was anchored by an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ—it was something she lived every day through compassion, generosity, and service to others. In the late 1980s, she opened her home in Mar Vista to a small gathering of believers. What began as a handful of people meeting in her home eventually grew into Venice Vineyard Church. During her years in San Diego, she became a devoted member of Skyline Church, where she continued to invest in others and live out the love of Christ.

Sarah's greatest professional calling was bringing families together. As Executive Director of the Adoption Center of San Diego for more than three decades, she walked alongside birth mothers with extraordinary compassion and guided adoptive families through one of the most meaningful journeys of their lives. She often reminded those she served that this was God's work—she was simply blessed to walk beside them through the process He had prepared. She took the time to truly know each family, remaining a part of their lives long after an adoption was complete. She brought families back together year after year by hosting annual summer picnics and holiday celebrations, and she also made it a priority to honor birth mothers each Mother's Day, recognizing them with the love, gratitude, and respect they deserved. Through her life's work, she helped create generations of families, a legacy that continues today in the lives of parents, children, and grandchildren who exist because of her faithful calling.

To Sarah, family mattered deeply.

As a single mother, Sarah devoted herself to raising Brian, whom she truly adored. Together they built a life rooted in love, strength, and perseverance. She was his fiercest supporter, his constant champion, and a mother whose love never wavered through every triumph and every trial.

In 1996, Sarah married the love of her life, David Elhoff, and together they blended their families into one. Their marriage was a beautiful partnership built on faith, enduring love, and complete trust in one another. They prayed together, sang together, encouraged one

another, and walked hand in hand through every season of life. They shared a home where Sarah welcomed Amy and Emily with open arms, loving and caring for them wholeheartedly.

Becoming Nana was a role Sarah cherished beyond words. She and David embraced every opportunity to spend time with their fifteen grandchildren. Sarah could almost always be found cheering from the sidelines at their games, proudly supporting each one, or dreaming up creative art projects and special adventures they would remember for years to come. She delighted in celebrating every milestone and made each grandchild feel deeply loved, uniquely known, and incredibly special.

Sarah embraced life with warmth and an open heart. She loved music and dancing, and as the lead singer of Cool Fever Band, Sarah had a gift for filling every room with vibrant energy and bringing people to their feet. Whether she was singing, opening her home to family and friends, cooking meals that brought everyone to the table, or finding time for a heartfelt conversation, she had a way of making everyone feel welcome. She loved the beach, decorating beautiful spaces, and creating a home where everyone felt at ease. More than anything, she had a remarkable way of making people feel seen. When you sat down with her, she gave you her full attention. She listened without rushing, loved without judging, and somehow made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. She was a loyal friend who never let life's busyness keep her from the people she loved.

Sarah is survived by her husband, David Elhoff; her son, Brian Ullrich (Eden); her daughters, Amy Harms (Ben) and Emily Kruse (Jack); her fifteen cherished grandchildren—Arianna, Anthony, Christopher, Jonathan, Macee, Betty, Jackson, Tallulah, Isla Grace, Violet, Gladys, Queenie Rose, Depper, Farrah, and Susannah; her siblings, Daniel, Kathleen, Steven, Lisa, and Jason Sands; her beloved dog, Poppy; and countless extended family members and friends whose lives were forever changed by knowing her.

Sarah loved fiercely, prayed faithfully, and never missed an opportunity to remind those she loved how proud she was of them. Her voice, her laughter, and the warmth of her embrace will be profoundly missed, but the love she poured into others will continue to shape lives for generations.

A Celebration of Sarah's Life will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, 2:00PM at First United Methodist Church in Mission Valley - San Diego.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Family Network Adoption Center - Please visit the following Link: https://www.fnadopt.org/donate, the organization that now carries forward Sarah's life's work, so that her legacy of bringing families together may continue for generations to come.