Jeffrey Paul Voorhees

Jeffrey (Jeff) Paul Voorhees passed away unexpectedly on September 8, 2025 in Irvine, California. He was 62 years old. His family is shocked and deeply saddened by his sudden death.

Jeff was born on August 24, 1963 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Don and Darlene Voorhees. The 4th of 4 children, Jeff grew up in Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Surrounded by mountains, his family would often go skiing, which helped him develop a love for the great outdoors that he would carry with him throughout his life. When Jeff was 11 years old, he convinced his family to adopt a Boxer dog they named Boots. This experience led to a lifetime love for animals, especially dogs, with whom he shared a deep connection.

Jeff attended Littleton High School, where he excelled as an athlete, setting Colorado state and Littleton High School records in the 300 and 110 meter hurdles. After graduation from Littleton High School in 1981, Jeff enrolled at Brigham Young University for a year to study Psychology before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Recife, Brazil, where he preached the gospel in the Portuguese language.

After his mission, Jeff returned to BYU to complete his degree. Upon graduation from BYU, Jeff attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, California from 1989-1991 to obtain his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jeff often spoke warmly about his time in California, where he met his future wife and mother of his children, MaryEllen. In his free time, he enjoyed boogie boarding and playing in the ocean.

Upon completing his studies at Pepperdine and obtaining his license to practice therapy, Jeff relocated to St. George, Utah. As a therapist, he was known for his easy-going nature and devoted his life to helping others with heavy burdens and offered support to teens and adults alike. He always saw the best in others and helped them to see it in themselves. Jeff had deep values and a unique perspective on life that he was able to share with those he worked with and those that knew him. Jeff was not a stranger to pain, dealing with chronic illness himself for many years - both physically and mentally - which allowed him to genuinely empathize with those in need.

In 2004, Jeff took his family to the nearby town of Toquerville, Utah to offer his children more direct access to nature. A creek ran through the property, there was a park next door, and there were miles of desert for his adventurous boys to explore and foster their imaginations. In Toquerville he built his ideal life, surrounded by pets, expansive nature, and his loving family - things that he cherished throughout his lifetime.

He lived the last few years of his life in the Desert Canyons area of St. George, frequently riding his bike on the desert trails and spending time with his girlfriend Emily. He made an effort to be involved in his community and loved to pause and talk to his neighbors while walking the dogs, asking them about themselves and getting to know each of them by name. During this time, he would also often visit his sons in Cedar City to spend time together in nature.

The weekend before his passing, Jeff was able to travel to Southern California and spend quality time with his family at the beach, nearby where he had lived during his time at Pepperdine. He was visibly excited to share his knowledge of the area and was overjoyed to be playing in the ocean again after many years. As the sun set over the waves, he encouraged his family to close their eyes, listen to the waves crashing, and just soak in the moment, reminding us that sometimes in life we need to take time to be present and be grateful for what the universe has given us.

Though Jeff is no longer with us physically, his spirit lives on in the lessons he taught us and the love he shared. We will miss his gentle guidance, unwavering support, and kind reminders to be open minded, care for others, and remain in tune with our spiritual selves.

Jeff was predeceased by his parents Don and Darlene.

His memory lives on with his 4 sons Jacob, Kylan, Gabriel, and McKay, their mother MaryEllen, and his brothers Gordon, Tom, and his sister Sheree.

Funeral Service Information:
A viewing will be held on Tuesday, September 16 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at McArthur Funeral Home in St. George, UT.
A funeral service will be held the following day, Wednesday September 17 at 9:00 am, also at McArthur Funeral Home.

Address: 160 W 700 S, St. George, UT 84770, United States

Following the service, he will be laid to rest in the Manti, UT Cemetery at 2:30 PM Wednesday, September 17.

We welcome everyone who knew him or his family to participate in any or all of the services.