JoAn Foxx Luffman

PEORIA, ARIZ. - JoAn Foxx Luffman, 79, passed into God's loving arms on Thursday (February 21, 2013) at Hospice of the Valley's Thunderbird PCU. A memorial service for JoAn will be held on Wednesday (February 27) at the Desert Sun Church, 19250 N. 35 Ave. at 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of the Valley, hov.org, or a charity of your choice.
JoAn was born June 11, 1933 in Elmira, N.Y. Due to an error in the vital records office, she celebrated her birthday on June 20 for most of her life. When the error was discovered, the family continued to celebrate her birthday on June 20 and celebrated June 11 as her "un-birthday". In this way, she remained "forever young". She graduated with the class of 1950, Waterloo High School and from the Rochester School of Cosmetology in 1951. JoAn married her husband of 61 years, Robert Wesley Luffman on February 16, 1952, in Waterloo, N.Y. She continued her schooling at Syracuse University and received a Certified Teacher's Trade School License in 1956. JoAn loved art and went on to open a ceramic studio in the basement of her home in 1964, which blossomed into a family business, Luffman Ceramics, Luffman Delft & Dolls, and Foxx Artists in Waterloo, N.Y. She received numerous honors for her artistic contributions including a citation from Mamie Doud Eisenhower in 1972 and a White House reception with President Gerald Ford in 1975. JoAn is listed in Who's Who in Women (1976), Who's Who in American Artists (1976), and Who's Who in America (1977). In 1977, the relocated to Phoenix, Ariz. In later years, JoAn started Southwest Notes, a new business to creatively express her love for nature and the Southwest where she made her home for over 35 years. Beautiful photographs accompanied by her original haiku poetry were turned into note cards, stationery and framed prints. All her life, JoAn was an artist and teacher. She loved her family, her pugs, Coco and Daisy and enjoyed music, nature, and traveling. She also loved ice cream, especially Klondike Bars!
JoAn is survived by her devoted husband, Robert "Bob" Luffman; son, Mark (Tina) of Cornville, Ariz.; daughter, Lesley (Fred) Moosman of Ramah, N.M.; daughter, Roberta "Bobbi" of Desert Hot Springs, Calif. and Margaret "Maggie" of Glendale, Ariz.; her grandchildren, Wesley, Ben, Laurie, Arielle, Chris, Thomas, Jessica; and great-grandchildren, Joel, Matthew, Corben and Adrian.
She was predeceased by her parents, brother, Myron "Red" Foxx II; sister, Wanetah McPherson; granddaughter, Gleia; and nephew, Myron "Hal" Foxx III.