Cheryl Boatright

Cheryl Carlene Boatright

February 12, 1952 ~ November 14, 2020

Cheri Boatright died suddenly at her home on Saturday, November 14, 2020. Born in Ogden, Utah on February 12, 1952 to Warren Sevy White and Evelyn Todd White, Cheri enjoyed spending time as a child and youth with her grandparents in Beaver, Utah. (As an adult, any trip south on I-15 included a mandatory stop in Beaver.) Raised in Clearfield, Cheri graduated from Clearfield High School.

On August 26, 1971, Cheri married Gary Lemuel Boatright—the love of her life.  They later solemnized their marriage in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The couple soon welcomed Gary Jr. into their family. In 1978 Cheri and Gary were blessed with another son, Samuel. Samuel’s birth changed the course of their lives. Born with several disabilities, Samuel required significant attention and care. Cheri, her husband, and oldest son devoted the next 16 years of their lives loving, nurturing, and creating a happy life for Samuel. This led to many wonderful opportunities for the family as a whole and for Cheri personally. She found a fulfilling career as an aide to students with special needs in the Weber County School District. As Samuel grew, Special Olympics Utah became an important part of Cheri’s life. Bowling, golf, and other Special Olympic events filled many weekends and evenings.

In January 1995, Samuel quietly passed to the next life as Cheri held him in her arms. The death of Samuel left a hole in her heart that never healed. She and Gary Sr. continued to participate in special needs bowling leagues and other Special Olympics events, including assisting Team Utah at the Special Olympic World Games twice.

Raising only boys, Cheri was blessed with three granddaughters: Makenzie, Brinley, and Kylee. Together, she and Gary Sr. enjoyed taking the girls to lunch, the movies, road trips to national parks, and the occasional family trip to Disneyland. After retiring from the school system, Cheri scooped ice cream for a time at Farr’s Ice Cream in Ogden where she enjoyed meeting and associating with customers. She then worked for the IRS where she made several great friends before retiring after a number of years.

In 2016, Cheri’s husband died unexpectedly. Her heart still hurting from Samuel’s passing years earlier, the loss of Gary took a tremendous toll on her. During the four years following her husband’s passing, many stepped in to try to fill the void. Cheri created several memories with her sister Janice, brother-in-law Kerri, and sister-in-law Brigitte on several cruises and enjoyed exploring “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” and Disneyland with Gary Jr., his wife Lori, and her three granddaughters.

Cheri’s health slowly declined, limiting her activity. Despite this she continued to participate with the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, with her sorority sisters, and attended the temple on many Friday evenings friends. Like the rest of the world, 2020 was very difficult for Cheri. With limited opportunities to get out, her heart ached for her husband and young son. Cheri’s final week was full of tender mercies and several wonderful conversations with family and friends.

Cheri is survived by her son, Gary Jr. and daughter-in-law, Lori; granddaughters, Makenzie, Brinley, and Kylee. Also surviving are her sister, Janice Androes and brother-in-law Kerri; her brother, Warren (Junior) White, sister-in-law Brigitte White; and several nieces and nephews. Welcoming her to the other side were her husband, Gary; her son, Samuel; her parents, her sister, Anna; and many other family members and friends.

Gary Jr. and his family express appreciation to the first responders from South Ogden and Riverdale who responded to the call and provided assistance. Your kindness and compassion were much needed and appreciated. A special thanks to Cheri’s amazing neighbors: Derek and Tori, Chuck and Maggie, Wade and Lynn, and Wayne and Debbie. We are grateful for your care, compassion, and kindness.

We know many loved Cheri and wish to remember her life and express condolences to her family. Due to the current conditions we made the difficult decision to hold a private graveside service for family. We hope you understand and know we are grateful for the messages of condolence and the many prayers offered on our behalf.