Obituary of Therese Rolfs

Therese Rolfs (nee Scharpf) passed away peacefully Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at Sunrise at River Road, where she had been in Memory Care for the past year. She remained a joyful soul until the end, shining her light on her family, friends, caregivers, and all who connected with her.  

Therese was born in the town of Herman, WI on October 3, 1929 to Jacob and Mary (nee Keifer) Scharpf.  She earned a bachelor’s degree from the State Teacher’s College in Oshkosh, and master’s degrees in English and Counseling from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  She taught and was a counselor at high schools in Wisconsin, France (Chateauroux), North Africa (Morocco), and Arizona.  She married James R.Rolfs on July 15, 1961.  They made their home in Tucson, Arizona, in 1970. Therese loved her family, the desert, travel, the arts, lighthouses, and fall foliage.  Her strong Catholic faith was embodied in her collection of Madonna statues from around the world.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Rose Scharpf, of Hartford, Wisconsin, and by many nieces, nephews, and greats. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Rosemary Schmutzler, and her brothers Vincent, Clarence, and Edward. She will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Jim, in Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona on Thursday, June 25.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the wonderful caregivers she loved, and who loved her in return and gave her excellent care.  Checks can be made payable to Sunrise at River Road, with a note in the Memo line for Team Member Appreciation account.  The address is: Sunrise at River Road, 4975 N First Avenue Tucson, AZ 85718