Wife of Michael.Daun.Cordray
MSGT US AIR FORCE

On Monday June 19, 2006, Cheryl J. Cordray passed from this earth in Kona, HI, while celebrating her 35th Anniversary with her husband Michael. She was taken suddenly while enjoying life.

Cheryl was born on June 15, 1952 in the farming community of Mankato, KS, to Wayne and Ruth Underwood. She grew up on the farm and was deeply involved in 4-H. She was a drum majorette in her high school band. She graduated from Esbon High School in 1970 and completed a year of Civil Service studies at Cloud County Community College in Concordia, KS in 1971. She had completed collegiate studies on and off her whole life, always striving to improve herself and her community.

In June of 1969 she met Michael D. Cordray at her aunt's wedding dance. Mike was a sergeant in the United States Air Force, stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. They were married two years later on June 21, 1971. After six months at Minot, they moved to Blytheville Air Force Base in Arkansas. At Blytheville she started her Civil Service Career. In June of 1973, Cheryl and Mike moved to Ellsworth Air Force Base. They fell in love with the Black Hills and stayed.

Having started her Civil Service career in June of 1972, she recently celebrated 34 years in Civil Service and was planning for retirement in June of 2007. She worked at several different offices at base level for her career. Starting out as a secretary for the Civil Engineering Squadron in Blytheville, she transferred to the Disaster Preparedness Office upon arriving at Ellsworth. After several years she took the opportunity to transfer to the Data Automation Center. Her next promotion took her to the Base Central Base Processing Center as a testing examiner. Her next move was back to Civil Engineering as a Base Housing Inspector. After several years there she had the opportunity to transfer to the Base Real Estate Office where she would manage Air Force porperty in four states. After a few years she became the manager of that office, the position she held at the time of her death.

Cheryl leaves behind her husband, their son, daughter in law and grandson. She is survived by her brother Dewey and his wife, three nephews and one niece .
She also has six great nephews, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Cheryl was preceded in death by her oldest brother Roger, her parents, Wayne and Ruth Underwood.

Cheryl and her husband Mike are members of Piedmont Valley Lutheran Church and are very active with their church family. Cheryl had been involved as a Sunday School Teacher, Church and Society Member, Women's group, Altar Guild, mentor and friend. She loved her family and friends and was so grateful for them all.

Visitation will be noon until 9 p.m. on Sunday June 25, 2006, at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 26, 2006, at the Piedmont Valley Lutheran Church in Piedmont, SD, with Pastor Carol Mapa officiating. Burial follows at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established through the Piedmont Valley Lutheran Church for youth camperships and the National Youth Gathering.