Obituary: Aleman, Cheryl I.

ALEMAN, Cheryl I.

Cheryl Griffis Aleman was born on Saturday, September 2nd, 1944, to Johnny B. Griffis and Irva B. Griffis at Natrona County Memorial Hospital in Casper, Wyoming.

Her brother, John, was four years older.

She looked up to him, and in her he always found a prime audience for his jokes and witticisms.

Her family lived on a series of ranches in her first years.
When the family moved to Casper, Wyoming, Cheryl was enrolled in kindergarten, and spent her school years in the Casper school system.

Her dearest childhood friend was Marlyn Black, whom she visited over the years whenever Cheryl went back to Casper to see her family.

They corresponded as late as this year.
During her school years, Cheryl was a member of 4-H, where she won a blue ribbon by raising a rabbit named, Charcoal, and took piano lessons, performing a piece called “Brown Eyed Susans” for her recital.
After graduation from high school Cheryl worked for True Oil Company in Casper, and met and fell in love with Mike Aleman, who was in the navy at the time.

They became engaged between their freshmen and sophomore years at Casper College.

They discovered that they had the same sense of rhythm, and they danced their socks off for ever after.
Cheryl and Mike were married on August 15, 1964, and lived their first year in a rent free apartment in the basement of 1st Presbyterian church of Casper.

They moved to Cheney, Washington to attend Eastern Washington College, in 1965.

Cheryl and Mike graduated in 1968, and spent one year in Albany, Oregon with Mike’s first teaching job.

She substituted and earned the money for their first washer and dryer.

Cheryl gave birth to their daughter, Natasha, whom she loved dearly, in Spokane, in July of 1969, and Cheryl stayed home until Natasha was in the 5th grade, before beginning her own teaching career.

During those years she sewed Natasha’s ballet costumes through Natasha’s senior year in high school.
After she received her Masters Degree at Gonzaga, Cheryl taught 5th and 6th grades during her 25 year career, mostly at Adams Elementary School.

She loved her students, was a good colleague, and was particularly good with uncertain or troubled parents.

She loved teaching science and math, and at one time the history of religion.

For leisure activities, Cheryl became a long-distance biker, taking middle schoolers on week-long trips at Manito Presbyterian Church.

She was an inveterate reader, and over a period of nine years read 90 books in the Manito Adult book group.

The ultimate teacher, she taught Bible Study Fellowship for about 14 years, as well as Vacation Bible School and instruction of acolytes at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church.

She sewed dresses for Little Girls in Africa at Hamblen, and enjoyed the women’s retreats at Camp Spalding, as well as decorating her table during the Women’s Christmas breakfast.

She also enjoyed the Wednesday morning Bible Study at Hamblen, and loved being part of Listening for God in the Park.

Cheryl had a deep sense of her Christianity, and was serious about her relationship with the Lord.

She enjoyed her church, even after being struck with Alzheimer’s dementia.

The last year she was active, she served the church by delivering Bite2Go food to schools for kids to have weekend meals, and delivered Meals on Wheels as well.

It is evident that upon entering her Lord’s arms, he welcomed her with these words from Matthew, 25, verse 21: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Cheryl Aleman’s Memorial Service will be held at Hamblen Park Presbyterian church, 4102 S. Crestline, on Thursday, April 7th, at 2:00.