Apex, NC - It's with great sadness that we announce the passing of Cheryl Chessa, a beloved and treasured member of our family. She passed away peacefully in Cary, North Carolina, on April 16, 2024, with her daughter, Melissa by her side.
Cheryl was born on November 24, 1946, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Robert Galen Lunt and Ruth Belle (DePew) Lunt. She grew up alongside her cherished siblings, Joe, Curt, Ruth, and Rebecca in Holden, Maine. She was a proud Brewer Witch, and later, with the encouragement of her much beloved grandmother, Hazel, pursued her dream of becoming a teacher. She attended Washington State Teachers College (now the University of Maine at Machias) where she immediately made her presence known to all with her youthful exuberance and sense of wide-eyed wonder. While there she made lifelong friendships and met her first husband, Larry Reynolds. She and Larry raised two incredible children, Melissa and Jason. Later in life Cheryl would marry her second husband, Gary Chessa, and together they raised a beautiful daughter, Mary.
Cheryl had a zest for life that was truly infectious and a remarkable ability to light up any room with her warmth and laughter, making friends wherever she went. Whether you met her at an event she coordinated at the University of Maine, on the golf course at the Penobscot Valley Country Club, or later in her life as she zipped by you on her scooter at Cambridge Village in Apex, North Carolina, she undoubtedly left an indelible mark with her smile and the twinkle in her eye. Her passion for life was evident in everything she did, from her dedication to her career at the University of Maine, where she was inducted into the M Club, to her unwavering love for her family, including four wonderful granddaughters, Clare, Ruth, Ruby and Esme.
She approached every day with grace and gratitude. A true warrior, she fought more medical battles each decade than most fight in a lifetime. In the end she endured years of dialysis so that she could stay with us, never quitting until her body quit her. She was so proud of her daughter, Mary, for becoming a dialysis technician in her honor.
Cheryl was the living embodiment of "There is no such thing as other people's children." In that vein, she claimed her son, Jon, as her own - because in her eyes, he was. She embraced everyone with equal warmth, devotion and an open heart and arms. Whether you knew her for a moment or for a lifetime, you were a part of the family. Her core values of unconditional love and forgiveness were not just principles she lived by, but were the very essence of her being. She was generous with hugs, sure to tell everyone that she loved them, and even had a reminder on her phone to add a little magic to people's day.
We take peace in knowing that she created love that will live forever. We all carry her within us. We keep her alive with our words and deeds, with the way we treat our loved ones at home, a child in our neighborhood, or a stranger on the street. Cheryl created something everlasting through pure and unconditional love. Her kindness, warmth, and resilience live on in countless hearts.
We will celebrate her life in her beloved home state of Maine on August 17, 2024 at Buchanan Alumni House, Orono, at 10 a.m. More details will be shared via her favorite means of communication - Facebook!