The family of Cheryl Mary Richardson is saddened to announce her unexpected and untimely departure from planet Earth. Following an adverse coronary event that took place in her room at the Granite Ridge Residence in Gravenhurst, Cheryl was rushed by ambulance to the Bracebridge Hospital where she passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 1, 2026. Cheryl is survived by her sister Linda and Linda’s partner Ian Gomme. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Glenn and Lillian Richardson.

Cheryl was born in Barrie in 1944 to Glenn and Lillian Richardson. At the time of her birth, Glenn was serving overseas as a soldier in the Canadian armed forces. Following the war, Cheryl’s early childhood was spent in Oro, where her parents operated a local general store. Her grandmother, Mary, played a significant role in Cheryl’s early years, especially before she began school. At the time, in 1950, the school in Oro consisted of one room, with one teacher, eight grades, and about 30 pupils. In 1953, Cheryl moved to Gravenhurst as Glenn and Lillian established a new business in the form of Glenn Richardson Transport. Their business took off as trucking became more and more essential to the Canadian economy. In June of that year, Cheryl welcomed the arrival of her little sister Linda. She graduated from Gravenhurst Public School in the late 1950s and entered the hallowed halls of Gravenhurst High School.

In addition to completing her studies at Gravenhurst High School, Cheryl participated in student government and sports. Among her cherished accomplishments were playing on an Ontario championship winning basketball team and securing the services of Bobby Curtola, who entertained at a school dance. With respect to the Curtola booking, there is no record of Cheryl sitting three rows over and two seats down.

Following her graduation from GHS, Cheryl began her studies in pursuit of nursing certification (RN) at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing. She graduated from the program in the mid 1960s and subsequently worked for the Hospital for Sick Children and the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. During the mid 1980s, her love of Muskoka got the better of her. She completed certification for nursing in the field of public health at the University of Windsor and subsequently joined the ranks of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. She worked in the field of public health until her retirement in 2010.

Among her passions in life were the following: a variety of cats, especially Bing and Annie; the family cottage on beautiful Lake Muskoka; Star Trek (the series and the conventions); wandering the world with besties Susan Kydd, Joanne Cooper, sister Linda, and mother Lillian; the island of Santorini; and last but by no means least, all things involving Elvis Arron Presley.

Throughout her life, Cheryl remained a keen observer of popular culture and gained much from the life lessons she observed and embraced from these and other sources. Cheryl lived long and prospered. Her life spanned more than eight decades, and over that time, she accumulated a large fortune, the dividends of which were of the kind that ensure happiness. Her pot of gold, accrued over a lifetime, consisted of the multitude of acquaintances, friends, and family members whose lives she brightened and whose affections she enjoyed.

As a young girl influenced by the screen-bearing technology of the time, she was introduced to, and subsequently embraced, many aspects of the Cowboy Code. This code involved a set of rules promoted by a horse-riding childhood hero for whom she had great affection. Observing the Code’s edicts, she studied hard, and she learned all she could. In Cheryl’s case, she continued this endeavor throughout her lifetime. She remained courteous and polite to others, even under challenging circumstances. She was kind to animals and made it a mission to take care of them, especially those of the feline persuasion. And as her chosen vocation in health care reflected, she took her childhood pledge to protect the weak and the vulnerable strongly to heart.

All who have known Cheryl over her long, bounteous, and meaningful life, are aware of her fierce sense of independence. She, as the song goes, did it her way … and with an unwavering determination that endured up until the very end, as her sister and her sister’s partner can well attest.

While First Officer Spock, King of the Cowboys Roy Rogers, and the King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, never had the chance to meet her in person, there is little doubt that they would have enjoyed the experience. Cheryl marched to the beat of a different drum on many occasions, and her uniqueness of step formed a crucial element of her persona. Her differences made her a character, or in today’s lingo, made her authentic … interesting, unpredictable, spirited, and amusing, with an air of mystery thrown in. What was going on behind those beautiful blue eyes? She was, as a colleague pointed out to the crowd at her retirement party in 2010, quirky. As those present at that event will recall, her description as quirky brought the house down in an uproar of affectionate laughter.

Cheryl’s prosperity is enviable, earned and spent as it was over a lifetime of kindness, good intentions, and generosity toward others. In this regard, she was a reflection of her parents. All that said, Cheryl has now been “beamed up.” While we cannot hold Scotty responsible for this event, we can observe that the move was definitely in the right direction. We can be sure that her enterprise – to boldly live a good life to the benefit of self and others – has earned her a place of eternal peace and tranquility. For the crew she had momentarily left behind, she will be fondly remembered and cherished. With luck, she will have by now discovered the truth regarding what really happened on that fateful day in August 1977. Did the hound dog cry? Was there heartbreak in the hotel? Did the letter reach the sender? Did the jailhouse rock? Was anyone cruel to a heart that was true? Whatever the answer to those questions, there remains tenderness in our love for Cheryl and she will always be on our minds. Please excuse the gentle rewording of the lyric to reflect the appropriate sentiment in this moment of farewell.

We love you tender, we love you long

We take you to our heart

For it’s there that you belong

And we’ll never part

A Memorial Service will be held at Cavill Funeral Home on Friday, February 13, 2026, with visitation from 1:00-2:00 pm, service at 2:00 pm, followed by a reception. Memorial donations made to OSPCA Muskoka Animal Centre would be appreciated and may be arranged online or through Cavill Funeral Home.

A Note of Gratitude: Linda and Ian would like to thank Cheryl’s friends, who especially in recent years, stepped in to assist an independent woman remain independent. We choose not to mention names for fear of erroneously leaving someone off the list. You know who you are. Drivers, snow removers, house monitors, fixers of various sorts, grass cutters, furniture movers, dish cleaners (of the type that sit on rooves), technicians of various sorts, and life coaches. Some of you have been of service for a lifetime and some of you are beginners whose years of life are in, or close to, being measured in single digits. Especially appreciated are those on the younger side who brought her personally-picked flowers from time to time when the season permitted. You all know who you are, and as one of Cheryl’s aforementioned heroes would put it, happy trails to you all.