Cheryl Mary Buchanan, 66, Overland Park, KS passed away Monday, March 1, 2021 at Advent Heath Hospital in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.
Cheryl was born on November 17, 1954 to Irvin F. and Berniece M. (Nolte) Wilhelm in Horton, Kansas.
Cheryl was preceded in death by her mother Berniece and father Irvin as well as her brother Steve Wilhelm and stepdaughter Jennifer Buchanan. Survivors include her husband, Ronald Buchanan; daughter, Alaina Buchanan; son, Craig Buchanan; soon-to-be daughter-in-law Moriah Maple-Mitchell; sister Connie Gerhardt; brothers Chuck, Ken, Eugene, and Kevin Wilhelm; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and workplace friends.
Cheryl decorated the lives of those closest to her by bringing joy and humor into everyday situations. Her wit knew no match and her sense of humor and timing with a joke never failed to get a laugh. While quiet and reserved upon first meeting, this façade would soon melt away to reveal a woman with a wickedly sharp sense of humor.
Cheryl worked at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment starting in the 1970s and worked there until 1990, after her daughter was born. Shortly after the birth of her son, Cheryl returned to work in 1995 at UPS-Supply Chain Solutions where she was employed until her retirement in 2019.
Before her death, Cheryl passed on some, though not all, of her most valuable pieces of knowledge. They are as follows:
1. If you wear your hair up, make sure you have on dangly earrings
2. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, sit with your legs together
3. Buy low, sell high
4. Take it if it’s free (with a few exceptions)
5. Don’t take any wooden nickels
As those around her could attest, Cheryl was immensely proud of her children and had many future events she was looking forward to attending. While she will not physically be present, she will undoubtedly be a part of her son Craig’s upcoming marriage to Moriah and her daughter Alaina’s Ph.D. defense and subsequent graduation from the University of Northern Colorado.
The world is a more somber place without Cheryl’s voice singing along to Patsy Cline or Rita Coolidge in car. Despite her claims that she had “no range” and could only sing a few notes, Cheryl had the heart and soul of a singer and all the power and attitude inherent in a strong alto voice.
If you had the benefit of knowing Cheryl, please honor her memory by treating yourself and a loved one to ice cream. Think of her when you spend hours talking to a favorite person about nothing in particular. But most of all, please live like Cheryl did by being the sunshine in someone’s life.
It’s been seven days and six nights,
for hours I lie awake.
Living without you isn’t fair,
and nothing feels the same.
I try to do the best I can,
I know it’d make you proud.
But sometimes after midnight,
the silence gets too loud.
I miss the sound of your voice,
the smile on your face.
It’s not fair those things can disappear,
almost without a trace.
I miss the way you used to joke,
and sing a silly song.
Even in the worst of times,
and things were going wrong.
I know you’re still here,
and in many ways,
your memory lives on.
I could never forget all these things I love about you, mom.
-C. R. Buchanan
Cheryl was born on November 17, 1954 to Irvin F. and Berniece M. (Nolte) Wilhelm in Horton, Kansas.
Cheryl was preceded in death by her mother Berniece and father Irvin as well as her brother Steve Wilhelm and stepdaughter Jennifer Buchanan. Survivors include her husband, Ronald Buchanan; daughter, Alaina Buchanan; son, Craig Buchanan; soon-to-be daughter-in-law Moriah Maple-Mitchell; sister Connie Gerhardt; brothers Chuck, Ken, Eugene, and Kevin Wilhelm; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and workplace friends.
Cheryl decorated the lives of those closest to her by bringing joy and humor into everyday situations. Her wit knew no match and her sense of humor and timing with a joke never failed to get a laugh. While quiet and reserved upon first meeting, this façade would soon melt away to reveal a woman with a wickedly sharp sense of humor.
Cheryl worked at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment starting in the 1970s and worked there until 1990, after her daughter was born. Shortly after the birth of her son, Cheryl returned to work in 1995 at UPS-Supply Chain Solutions where she was employed until her retirement in 2019.
Before her death, Cheryl passed on some, though not all, of her most valuable pieces of knowledge. They are as follows:
1. If you wear your hair up, make sure you have on dangly earrings
2. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, sit with your legs together
3. Buy low, sell high
4. Take it if it’s free (with a few exceptions)
5. Don’t take any wooden nickels
As those around her could attest, Cheryl was immensely proud of her children and had many future events she was looking forward to attending. While she will not physically be present, she will undoubtedly be a part of her son Craig’s upcoming marriage to Moriah and her daughter Alaina’s Ph.D. defense and subsequent graduation from the University of Northern Colorado.
The world is a more somber place without Cheryl’s voice singing along to Patsy Cline or Rita Coolidge in car. Despite her claims that she had “no range” and could only sing a few notes, Cheryl had the heart and soul of a singer and all the power and attitude inherent in a strong alto voice.
If you had the benefit of knowing Cheryl, please honor her memory by treating yourself and a loved one to ice cream. Think of her when you spend hours talking to a favorite person about nothing in particular. But most of all, please live like Cheryl did by being the sunshine in someone’s life.
It’s been seven days and six nights,
for hours I lie awake.
Living without you isn’t fair,
and nothing feels the same.
I try to do the best I can,
I know it’d make you proud.
But sometimes after midnight,
the silence gets too loud.
I miss the sound of your voice,
the smile on your face.
It’s not fair those things can disappear,
almost without a trace.
I miss the way you used to joke,
and sing a silly song.
Even in the worst of times,
and things were going wrong.
I know you’re still here,
and in many ways,
your memory lives on.
I could never forget all these things I love about you, mom.
-C. R. Buchanan
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