Jennifer Shoffner

Jennifer Shoffner, who worked extensively with Larry Frederick on his long-distance bike rides, died this week of colon and liver cancer. Ms. Shoffner first worked with Mr. Frederick during his 1995 ride across California, and she took on important roles in his Life Across America rides in 1996 and 2010. In an e-mail to America's Blood Centers staff, Mr. Frederick pointed out that she did much of this work without compensation. "She has been an amazing lady and volunteer in her passion of giving blood and helping promote the awareness of the need for blood in the US," he wrote. Ms. Shoffner earned a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Humboldt State University. She worked in Public Relations with a number of media companies, radio and television networks, and other businesses. She had been honored with a number of awards for her professional and volunteer work. She was affiliated with dozens of charities and non-profit organizations, and she had been an instructor with the American Red Cross for more than 30 years. Mr. Frederick praised her devotion to these causes, saying that "she always gave her all for whatever project she was working on."