Jaz "Sarah" Jaslow

Sarah, known socially as Jaz, was born in Aurora, CO on June 20, 1962 and died in Prescott, AZ on September 22, 2025 after a brief but valiant struggle with stomach cancer. Jaz, daughter of Charles and Carol (Kaufman) Jaslow, attended Green Hills and Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, MI through 1980. The transfer from Green Hills to Pioneer prompted Jaz’s life-long interest in theater. She signed up for theatrical productions as a way to make new friends. She remained friends with Melinda Stuber from high school on.

After high school, Jaz attended Stephens College and graduated with a BFA with focus on theater. She then pursued graduate studies on theater lighting but found the program was not teaching her new information, so she did not complete the program.

One of Jaz’s early jobs was with a puppet show that traveled throughout the United States. She ended up being everyone’s super gofer, looking for rare items in large numbers in short periods of time. She loved it and was nearly always successful since “the show must go on.”

Later Jaz worked as a stage hand in various capacities, including aerial work, on numerous productions in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and southeast Michigan. These jobs let her interact with well-known acts and performers with some humorous anecdotes to share. One highlight included serving as the followspot operator when Elton John played Chrisler Arena, for which she donned a rigging harness and hung from the rafters. Another challenging assignment also included outdoor rigging in downtown Detroit, necessitating sharing spaces with displaced spiders.

When not hanging from the rafters or glad- handing the stars, Jaz enjoyed numerous and varied activities. She participated in any sport involving a ball (or not), such as softball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, badminton, golf, wallyball, and pickleball. She loved motorcycling, car shows and museums, collecting hot wheels, hiking, cards, games, puzzles, and film festivals. And that’s not all: Jaz loved tie-dye clothes, cruises (especially snorkeling in St. John, Virgin Islands), RVing, astronomy (planetarium shows at Embry Riddle in Prescott), cats (although she was violently allergic), plants and flowers, art deco, and Frank Lloyd Wright. She also loved music, with tastes from atonal through symphonic. Favorites included The Who and Power Pop. Shonen Knife, a favorite group in Jaz’s 20’s, just signed for a gig in Ann Arbor on 9/23/25. No doubt Jaz channeled this booking. Other eclectic activities included reading on a variety of topics in books and magazines with a focus on in-depth pursuit of general knowledge. Jaz recently became an inveterate rock hound, in Michigan, in Arizona, and while traveling the U.S. in her RV.

Into this mix, Jaz had time to meet Ann while playing golf in Ann Arbor, take her along during stage hand work, and eventually marry at the Women’s Pavilion in Central Park in NYC in 2013. Adventures in RV living and pickleball playing followed this union.

Most recently Jaz became a raven whisperer.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, please send donations to Audobon Society, Yavapai Humane Society, National Jewish Memorial Wall (njmw.org), or charity of your choice.

Some comments from Jaz’s friends:

Jaz was known for being a helpful friend to everyone (referred to as ‘helpy helperton’). As a pickleball player she was known to be a combination of fierce and intense, but friendly and full of laughter. She was a light-hearted spirit who graced our presence with a wonderful smile and infectious laugh. She had a wicked sense of humor. She was a shining light in our family, with a wonderful and contagious laugh and sense of humor. Best host. Fun aunt. We were blessed to have her join our family. She was a remarkable woman and true friend.

A comment from Jaz, posted on Facebook on 9/18/25:

“To borrow from Jimi Hendrix:

If I don’t meet you no more in this world then

I’ll meet you in the next one

And don’t be late.

Don’t be late.”