Cheryl Wilkerson

OPDYKE -- Cheryl L. Wilkerson, 53, died at 6:24 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, in Good Samaritan Regional Heath Center in Mount Vernon.

Cheryl was born Thursday, Oct. 6, 1960, in Mount Vernon, with Glenn and Evelyn (Lusby) Burnett.

She married Gary Wilkerson on Oct. 16, 1986, in Opdyke Missionary Baptist Church.

Celebration of life services will be at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 2, in Opdyke Missionary Baptist Church in Opdyke, with the Revs. Keith Neil and Jeff Harrell officiating. Interment will be in Opdyke Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the church.

Survivors include grandmother, Dorothy Loss of Texico; parents, Glenn and Evelyn Burnett of Opdyke; husband, Gary Wilkerson of Opdyke; two sons, Dustin Schierbaum and wife, Amber, of Mount Vernon and Jeff Wilkerson and wife, Kandi, of Thompsonville; six grandchildren, Laytyn Schierbaum , Hadley Grace Schierbaum, Austin Wilkerson, Lili Wilkerson, Kylea Wilkerson and Sawyer Wilkerson; two sisters, Shelley Adams and husband, Monte, of Belle Rive and Jill Lisk and husband, Sylvester, of Opdyke; and niece and nephews, Taylor, Zeb, Grant and Logan.

Her grandparents preceded her in death

Cheryl was a draftsperson/engineer for Old Ben Coal Company and was services and development technician and an engineering technician for Illinois Department of Transportation, until her health failed.

She was a very active, lifelong member of Opdyke Missionary Baptist Church. She also played piano, was a Sunday school teacher and helped with blood drives at the church.

She was active in various Mount Vernon area U.S. Military support groups, including Jefferson County Operation Iraqi Freedom; was a member and past president of Mount Vernon Business and Professional Women and was on the Peacock Printing Relay for Life Team.

She made many friends through the Special Stamping Sisters, was an avid scrapbooker and loved tending to her flower garden. She dearly loved her dog, Izzy ("Queen Isabella"), and, with her help, founded "Bark For Life." She was always giving of herself and of her time to others and will be sadly missed by her family and her friends.

For those who wish, memorials may be given to the Steeple Construction Fund at Opdyke Baptist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home or mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mount Vernon, IL 62864.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Hughey Funeral Home where you may call 618-242-3348 or visit www.hugheyfh.com for further information and to send condolences.