Maureen Erhardt, 69, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on May 25, 2026, after a long battle with vascular dementia. She was born on July 14, 1956, in Dearborn, Michigan, to Lawrence Erhardt, Sr. and Margaret (Hogan) Erhardt.
Maureen grew up in a big family and graduated from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, MI, in 1974. Never one to take the easy road, she pursued her education across four institutions, attending Michigan State University, Aquinas College, University of Phoenix, and the University of Arizona, ultimately earning both her bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration. She then went on to pass her Certified Public Accountant exam on the first try, because that was just how Maureen did things.
In May 1987, Maureen made the bold decision to pack up her two kids and move her family to Tucson, Arizona, a place that would become home for the rest of her life. She worked in several accounting firms before deciding she’d rather be her own boss, launching her own accounting business from her home in 1993. For 29 years she ran that business with the same stubborn determination and sharp mind that defined everything she did, finally retiring in 2022.
But Maureen was far more than her impressive resume. She was free spirited, fiercely independent and possessed an acerbic wit that could leave you laughing or speechless, sometimes both at once. She had a “damn the man” attitude that her family and friends knew all too well, and she never apologized for being exactly who she was.
She was a talented cook and baker who loved entertaining friends in her home and found quiet joy in crocheting blankets and sewing. She was an adventurer at heart who loved skiing, a certified scuba diver and a hiker who loved the desert trails around her adopted hometown. One of her greatest pleasures was taking her kids and grandkids to Disneyland. Maureen gave generously of her time to the Tucson community over the years, volunteering with the Educational Enrichment Foundation, Junior League and Rotary Club of Tucson Sunrise.
Maureen is survived by her daughter, Valerie (Aaron) Hilshorst of Leadville, CO; her son Nicholas (Chantal) Erhardt of Oxnard, CA; her grandchildren Owen and Miles Hilshorst; her sister, Ann Erhardt; her brother Larry Erhardt, Jr. (Joyce Evans); her sister in law Dawn Erhardt and many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Kristin Erhardt and Mary Erhardt; and her brothers John Paul Erhardt and Joseph Erhardt.
A Celebration of Life will be held in her hometown of Grand Rapids. Visitation will be held from 11AM-12:30PM on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Funeral Home, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49546, with a Celebration of Life starting at 12:30PM. A private family interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. A luncheon will be hosted starting at 1:45PM at Noco Provisions, 4609 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546.
The family would like to thank the dedicated staff at Rosa’s Chante Assisted Living for their exemplary care of Maureen over the last two years. Memorial donations can be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. www.cff.org