Ella Joanne Haines 86 of Flagstaff, AZ passed away at home with her family on October 10, 2022, from complications from primary progressive aphasia and frontal temporal dementia. Ella was born in Rogersville, Pennsylvania, the second of six children to Bessie Maxine and Joseph Clyde Haines. A graduate of Mumford High School in Detroit, Ella spent her life working in careers that helped others.

She started out as a flight attendant for United Airlines and used this opportunity to travel and see the world. While working, and raising two small children, Ella returned to college and received her BA in Urban Planning from Cleveland State University and went on to work in housing and urban development for the City of Cleveland. Ella lived in a variety of places including Chicago, NYC, Cleveland, Madison WI, Sedona, Phoenix, and Flagstaff.

She is preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Bessie Haines, her sister Madonna Kay, her brothers Lawrence and Frank and nephews Johnny, David, Christopher and Jeffrey. Ella lived her life on her own terms, with fierce independence, a commitment to social justice and spiritual understanding.

She is survived by her daughters Rebecca (David Blair) Fox-Blair and Laura Fox (Jean-Marc Patnoe), sisters Roberta (John) Barger and Marie (Jim) Richards, grandchildren Sophie, Davey, Henry, and Charlie (Cameron), along with many nieces and nephews. All those who knew her were impacted by her caring, open, sweet disposition. She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.

There will be a memorial celebration of her life for family and friends this spring. People willing to make a donation in her memory may donate to the Flagstaff Public Library or Northland Hospice of Flagstaff.