Cheryl Gail (Shourds) Cheff

Cheryl Gail (Shourds) Cheff, born Nov. 23, 1945, to Sidney and Rose Shourds, was called home to Heaven on March 7, 2023, after a nine-month battle with bone cancer. Throughout all her treatments and homecare, her loving husband, Buck, provided day and night care.

Cheryl was born and raised in the Mission Valley. She had 10 siblings: Chester, Lorraine, Theresa, Jody, Nathan, Karen, Rhonda, Lori, Sid and Phillip. She was a proud member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Cheryl met Roger “Buck” Cheff on a basketball trip to Round Butte while on the bus. This began a lifelong love that spanned 63 years and eight children. Their first date was Dec. 20, 1958, to the Polson Invitational Basketball Tournament. They married on Aug. 9, 1960, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. To this union came Ola, Bobbie, Theresa, Holly, Christy, Dusty, Corey and FINALLY Bucky.

Cheryl and Buck had many adventures and most of them happened outside. They loved to ride horseback, camp in the Bob Marshall, and fish with the kids and grandkids. She loved to go to rodeos and the PBR. She loved to travel, grow a big garden and canned all the produce that was grown.

Cheryl had many different jobs but her favorite job was being a paraprofessional at K.W. Harvey Elementary. She was a huge inspiration to many kids that still came up to hug her and tell her how much she meant to them.

Her most important job in life was being a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She had 25 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren. She had eight children but was a mother and grandmother to multitudes of others. She was happiest when her house was full of family.

Cheryl had a large love for her Lord and Savior and was instrumental in sharing the Word with anyone she crossed paths with. She picked up neighborhood children to haul them to Sunday school, VBS and Bible camps. She wanted to make sure that everyone she met, she would see again in Heaven.

She was an avid supporter of any sport her kids or grandkids were in. She followed them around the country and rarely missed a game or match.

There wasn’t anything Cheryl wouldn’t do to help others. If she was asked to do something she never said no. She helped with many dinners for the Shepherd’s table, sewed numerous dresses for her daughters when they couldn’t find a prom dress, she made wedding cakes and had a beautiful singing voice.

Cheryl was preceded in death by her parents Sid and Rose Shourds, her in-laws Bud and Adelle Cheff, her brothers Chet and Sid, sisters Lorraine and Jody and special nephew, baby Junior Shourds.

Cheryl is survived by her loving husband Buck; her children, Ola (Roger) Jore, Bobbie (Levi) Britton, Theresa Cheff Wayman, Holly (Russell) Trowbridge, Christy (Kelly) Houle, Dusty (Craig) Rider, Corey (Don) Reams, Bucky (Amber) Cheff; 61 grands and great grands; and her siblings, Theresa Morigeau, Nathan Shourds, Karen Cheff, Rhonda Jean, Lori Grenier and Phillip Shourds.

We would like to thank St. Luke Hospital for the exceptional care given to Cheryl. The entire staff was wonderful and made this difficult situation a little bit better.

Tentative services will be July 8, 2023, with more information at a later date. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.shriderthompson.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Shrider-Thompson Funeral Home and Crematory.