Cheryl Woodward

Cheryl R. Woodward, 76, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at her home in Oro Valley, AZ.

Cherie was born on June 20, 1948, in Fort Lewis, WA, the daughter of Richard and Charlotte (Huddleston) Somers. Coming from a military family, Cherie lived in several places throughout her life, including a memorable stint in Osaka, Japan as a child. However, she always considered San Antonio, TX, her true home.

Cherie is survived by her husband, John, her three children, Brandi, Robyn, and Chance and her five cherished grandchildren, Sarah, Sydney, Allison, Finley, and Benjamin. Also surviving is her brother, Richard, and cousins Marie, Lynn, David, Drew, Chris, and Kevin, whom she considered siblings.

Professionally, Cherie worked as a bookkeeper, yet her real life’s work was in caregiving. Cherie ran a daycare out of her home in Hoffman Estates, IL and treated every child like her own. In her retirement, there is nothing Cherie enjoyed more than taking care of her grandchildren and spending time with them daily. An avid animal lover, Cherie rescued several cats and dogs throughout her life and loved to visit and support local zoos.

One of Cherie’s many hobbies was cross stitching and the effort and thoughtfulness she put into each project for her relatives and friends is a testament to her character. Cherie was an avid consumer of television and film, especially horror, musicals, and game shows. But Cherie’s greatest joy in life was simply being surrounded by her family and talking and laughing together, and that’s how she spent her final days.

When asked to list her five best attributes, Cherie listed “caring, peacekeeper, grandmothering, moming, and loving.” Those who had the honor of knowing her will remember her for these qualities and so much more.

The family will hold a memorial this spring in San Antonio, where Cherie will be laid to rest at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization Cherie supported throughout her life, or Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, from where she rescued her beloved boxer, Penny.

Click this link to view additional details about Cheryl's Services: https://my.gather.app/remember/cheryl-woodward