Cherie Lynn Friedel

1956 - 2021

Cherie Lynn Friedel

Feb. 3, 1956 - April 21, 2021

Cherie Lynn Friedel, 65, passed away Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Dallas. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday, May 2, at Calvario Funeral Home, 300 W Davis St, in Dallas. Mass will be at 10 a.m., Monday, May 3, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 8017 Preston Rd in Dallas, with Monsignor Donald Zimmerman as celebrant. Gathering at Cherie's home to follow.

Cherie was born February 3, 1956, in Sulphur Springs, TX, to Peggy Jean Friedel, (nee Webb) and Norman Leo Friedel, both of whom were musicians and music teachers. Cherie attended Richfield High School in Waco during which time she was a member of the "Horns of the Ram" band. She was a talented flute player winning awards in local, regional, area, and state competitions. She graduated in 1974 and moved to Nacogdoches to attend Stephen F. Austin State University, leaving a few broken hearts behind. Cherie enjoyed her time at college making many lifelong friends. She was a cherished member of the SFA Lumberjack Band, and a member of Tau Beta Sigma Band Sorority. She graduated from SFA in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Her studies also emphasized Math and Music. Cherie began her elementary teaching career in Conroe. She moved to Dallas to continue teaching, then decided to try her hand at other pursuits working more with technology, continuing on to Texas Instruments where she worked as a technical writer for 14 years. Cherie learned new software quickly and was able to explain complicated ideas in simple terms. She was considered the "Oracle" for grammar which is extremely important for selling calculators aimed at educators and business professionals. She was a friend to all her colleagues and always had time to listen and give thoughtful advice. She developed a love of the area of Oak Cliff. She was interested in the history, growth, and restoration of the area, and bought a lovely cozy home in Stevens Park Village. The house had been built in 1941, and her décor was inspired by the 1930s and 1940s decade's concepts and themes. Cherie traveled to Munich, Vienna, Paris, Salzburg, and to Tokyo, Japan, to explore the retail environment for TI. She extended her stays and saw the sights she had always dreamed of visiting. She had taken a trip with a singing group to Italy where she explored Rome, Venice, and Florence. She had also traveled to Ireland with family. She eventually returned to her first love of teaching in schools throughout the Dallas area for many years. She continued to substitute teach even after retirement. Cherie had many pets during her life, most recently her beloved dogs Lilly and Louie. Her love of animals led her to volunteer for Dallas Pets Alive as a foster mom for dogs and to help transport dogs to rescue partners in other states that don't have the pet overpopulation problems that exist in Texas. Following her passion for music, Cherie was always a part of a church choir. She often accompanied the choir playing the flute. In Dallas she discovered she had the gift of a beautiful clear soprano voice joining the Cathedral Chorale at the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe. She served as a cantor and soloist at St. Edwards, the Cathedral, and Christ the King Catholic churches. She performed with several choral groups in the Dallas area and was a member of the Mesquite Civic Chorus. She sang Handel's Messiah at the Meyerson Symphony Center with the Dallas Bach Society, a group concentrated on performing Baroque music. She was a member of the Orpheus Chamber Singers focused on polished performances of challenging repertoire. She is survived by her loving sister, Catherine Friedel Johnson of Waco; and beloved nephew, Jordan Michael Williams of Stillwater, OK; and numerous cousins. She was a favorite aunt to all of her friend's children. Cherie was a determined, generous, kind person who was giving of her love and was treasured by those who loved her. She leaves behind many grieving Best Friends who were family to her. In spite of her illness, her sweetness, grace, and dignity always shone through. Thank you to all who helped Cherie during this difficult time, especially the Doctors, nurses, and staff of T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital.

Flowers may be sent to Calvario Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to Dallas Pets Alive https://dallaspetsalive.org/

"Where words fail, music speaks." Hans Christian Andersen (1805 – 1875)