Name: Timothy Duerr.

Age: 42 years.

Business name: Stoneridge Hospice, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with nursing support 24 hours per day seven days per week; 713-906-1627 or tduerr@srhospice.com.

Town/neighborhood: Our office is located in north Phoenix at the Desert Ridge Marketplace office park. However, we support and service families from Buckeye to Gold Canyon and everyone in between.

Personal background highlights: I grew up in southern California and my family and I are huge Disney fans. I love living in the Phoenix area because of the ability to participate in spring training baseball. I am a people person. I love people. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone is unique. I love to learn what makes us all so unique and I love to help others become the best version of themselves that they want to be. I love helping those who are grieving work through the grief they feel that is holding them back from enjoying life fully. I love helping those who are stuck in the muck and the mire of addiction, find hope and healing from their addictions so they can freely live their lives and enjoy their families and loved ones again. I love to help those who are young see their potential, and help them to grow through the ups and downs of life as a mentor.

Professional background highlights: I  served as a Lutheran pastor for the past 15 years in Texas and Arizona. I served originally as a pastor of care ministry, in which I was blessed to care for those members of my church who were sick and homebound. I then served as the senior pastor of a large church and assisted in raising 4 million dollars to build a 22-classroom elementary school building and STEM lab. I am a trained Stephen Leader who specializes in grief and addiction support. I have served in hospice for the past four years as a chaplain, bereavement coordinator and volunteer coordinator.

What I do: I will do anything to make someone smile. That includes dressing like the Easter Bunny, a Thanksgiving turkey and Santa Clause for hospice patients and special needs preschoolers. Officially, though, I am one of the chaplains, the bereavement and the volunteer coordinator at Stoneridge Hospice. What that means is:

What am I promoting: I am promoting two things. First, I lead free grief support groups around the valley. The pandemic left a pandemic of depression, grief, loneliness and a sense of darkness that we still haven’t gotten out of. Second, I’m offering opportunities to members of our community to use their gifts, talents, skills and abilities to serve others and volunteer to be a difference-maker in someone’s life. I’m promoting opportunities for people to volunteer in Hospice and help patients and their families feel loved and supported.

What I’m excited about and why: I’m excited about people and providing support for those who are hurting, as well as seeing people reach their maximum potential and goals in life. I get excited when others are able to excel and when I can help others be their best.

Favorite community cause and why: Mental health care and support for those who are grieving, battling addictions and those who are struggling with emotional distress.

Where I was before and why I left: I lived in Houston Texas. Houston is a great place. I have nothing bad to say about it. However, it wasn’t for me. Texans have a certain personality. I am from California, and I have much more of a West Coast personality, and Arizona fits me perfectly. We also moved here because Texas is way too far from our family. Because of the proximity to California and the beautiful weather in Arizona, we are closer to family.

My family: My wife, Becky, is a speech language pathologist for the Paradise Valley School District. She works with special needs preschoolers and elementary students, and our daughter is a student at Liberty Elementary, which is in the PV school district as well. She is a dancer and enjoys every minute of her life.

My interests and hobbies: My wife and I love to work out at Mountainside fitness. We love hiking and spending as much time outdoors as possible. I love watching baseball and playing sports. I love music, listening, playing and leading. My daughter is my biggest hobby. Until she moves out of the house, the priority and majority of my time and energy is given to her.

People who inspire me (and how): Martin Luther. He had the courage to stand up for what he believed in, even though his life was on the line. He was willing to do what he thought was right, no matter what it cost him.

My guiding philosophy: I and my life are not my own. I exist to serve and help others to grow and succeed.

My advice to today’s youth: Don’t give up. Life is hard. We were never promised an easy road. In fact, just the opposite.  It’s easy to let our emotions and feelings rule the day and make us think we are less-than, worthless or broken. But we aren’t. Feelings are not fact. In order to grow and find peace and healing, we can’t let our feelings rule us. We have to have trusted wise people in our lives who will speak truth to us and challenge the things our feelings tell us so that we can truly grow and live. Growth doesn’t come easy. Growth and healing comes from discipline, practice and hard work.