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BORN
1949
DIED
2021
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CHERYL BROWNING Obituary
CHERYL MARIE BROWNING
Cheryl Marie Browning passed away on May 23, 2021, a week before her 72nd birthday. Cheryl was born on May 30, 1949, the daughter of Arnold and Mary Deichelman. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Maryland. At Georgetown University Law School she was an editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and graduated Cum Laude in 1980. Cheryl went on to practice anti-trust law. She met Matthew Pavuk in law school and they were married on January 1, 1981. The couple bought a historic house on Grant Road in the Tenleytown neighborhood of DC. Cheryl was president of the Tenleytown Neighbors Association from 2001 until 2008. Her husband passed away in 2008. In 2016 Cheryl moved to Friendship Terrace, a senior living community in Tenleytown. Cheryl was an avid reader, and attended the monthly meetings of a neighborhood book discussion group. In her honor, friends are donating books to the library at Friendship Terrace. Cheryl was predeceased by her parents and her sisters Lynn Lininger and Dana Dart. She is survived by a son from her first marriage, Espey Theodore Browning III, her sister Patricia Melton, nephews Austin Martin and Christopher Dart, and nieces Danielle Dart Goar and Summer Dart. Her ashes will be placed with those of her husband Matt Pavuk in the Columbarium at Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church.
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Memories and Condolences
for CHERYL BROWNING
5 Entries
Joann Sullivan Tuttle
July 25, 2025
Cheryl was my best friend in elementary school, Saint Ambrose. For some reason, I was thinking of her and sadly found she had died. Even back then, Cheryl was outgoing, irrepressible, and smart. We had many fun sleepovers. Her smile is unmistakable and is the same one I remember. Thank you for the memories and being my friend.
Vashti Stopher Klein
May 12, 2024
Cheryl and I were inseparable during our undergraduate years at Maryland. She was not only my roommate but also my closest friend.
Her enthusiasm for learning was matched only by her devotion to her son, Teddy. I can still hear her cheerful voice as she served him his meals, always emphasizing their "delicious and nutritious" qualities.
Cheryl possessed a passion for literature that was contagious, and she had a remarkable ability to weave captivating stories, much like the tales she shared with me from her class on Arthurian legend. Our shared love for English literature fueled many late-night discussions about Shakespeare and the classics, enriching our friendship and deepening our understanding of the literary world.
Cheryl's optimism was a beacon of light in any situation. Whenever life threw challenges her way, she would retreat to her sanctuary, emerging with a renewed sense of positivity and hope. Her unwavering happiness was infectious, and she had a knack for finding silver linings even in the darkest of times.
Above all, Cheryl found her soulmate in Matt, and their love was evident from the moment they met. Though she may no longer be with us, her intelligence and bright smile will forever live in the hearts and memories of all who knew her. I will forever miss the warmth and joy she brought into the world.
Patricia Deichelman Melton
June 12, 2021
My sister was the oldest of us four girls. She left home after she procured her first job straight from high school; married young and followed her Vietnam-bound first husband to his Texas Army base before he deployed. Cheryl worked hard and excelled in whatever area she focused. She and her son's dad divorced and she put herself through undergraduate and law school. Her second marriage was cut short by her husband's premature death. Cheryl was very involved in her community. She was a lively hostess and before she became ill, was often socializing with her neighbors. Tenleytown has not been the same for some time! She will be missed by her friends and neighbors.
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