William Eugene Cherry Sr

William Eugene Cherry Sr was born February 25, 1939, in Kansas City, Missouri, to William Arthur and Lillian Florence (Stocker) Cherry. When Bill was young the family moved around quite a bit and lived in Iowa, Washington, and Missouri. When he was in his late teens, Bill decided to join the service to serve in Korea, but was discharged honorably after a short time due to a pre-existing medical condition. Bill returned home and drove long-haul truck for many years. He became a father to two boys and a girl, and raised them strictly, making sure they had good manners and strong work ethic. In the late 1960’s, Bill met Hazel Lorraine Carmack through one of his co-drivers, and the two fell in love. On June 13, 1968, after just a few months of dating, he married Hazel and she lovingly took on the role of mom to Bill's three children and Bill and the kids accepted Hazel’s daughter as their own. Bill relocated his family back to the Pacific Northwest in 1970, settling in Salem, bringing his parents with him. He began working as head mechanic for the mushroom plant in Salem where he was employed for 27 years. Bill was always working on cars, everywhere he went he would pop someone’s hood and check the fluids then check the tires. You could always find him under the hood tinkering on cars, always taking a toolbox wherever he went. Bill and Hazel enjoyed their time together and would often take drives around Oregon appreciating the natural beauty that surrounded them. They also enjoyed day trips to the Oregon coast. Each year they tried to make a trip back east to visit family in Iowa and Kansas. Bill and Hazel did everything together, keeping pretty much to themselves, until her passing in 2005. Life without his constant companion was a bit lonely, so Bill began meeting with friends in Stayton every day to drink coffee and chat. Many of these friends were guys he had met through his mechanic work at the mushroom plant. The Cherry family passed down a great deal of history over the years, and Bill was a collector and guardian of so much that belonged to his family for generations. On May 5, 2021, Bill passed away unexpectedly at his home, leaving his children to carry on the family legacy. He was preceded in death by his wife Hazel, his parents, most of his siblings, and his son Steve. Bill is survived by his children Virginia (Richard) Lyons, Judy (Scott) Treadwell, and William (Debra) Cherry Jr; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and many dear friends in the community. A Celebration of Bill's life will take place on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Weddle Funeral Service in Stayton. The service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/william-bill-cherry-sr