Cheryl Chonko FallisBorn October 16, 1946 to Charles and Matilda Chonko n. Moc Died September 22, 2023 after being involved in a tragic car accident.Cheryl was a firecracker and one spicy Hungarian and was loved by everyone who met her. Being an only child she had many cousins and friends that filled that void. She would always tell us the stories of them playing in the woods and building forts and of the great times staying overnight at her grandma and grandpas.Her daughters, Kimberly Kosonovich nee Baker (John) and Stacey Dyer nee West (Mark) were her pride and joy. She always talked about how much she loved her girls. Her granddaughters, Olivia Criss nee Kosonovich (Mikey) and Hailey Fulk (partner Dylan Palchesko) were close seconds. Our house was always the hangout house because our mom was so cool. Not because she let us do whatever, no, she treated our friends like one of her own children, she gave them chores just like we had..It didn t just end with her daughters, her granddaughters friends were also known to frequent her house. She was not Cheryl to them, she was mom and grandma too. She never missed a game, concert, awards ceremony, or any chance to cheer her girls on.She also leaves behind her great grandsons, Michael D. Criss III and Oliver Criss, Sister-in-law, Marilyn Konowal nee Baker, her bonus daughter Tammy Lewis nee Fallis (Ed) and bonus grandchildren Ed Lewis, Lauren Maynard nee Lewis (Josh) from her marriage to Joseph Fallis (deceased), bonus grandson Kade Dyer (partner Kendra Keaton), bonus great granddaughter, Aleigha Hoard and her companion and caregiver, Thomas Spicer.Cheryl was an avid crafter and sewer, making clothes for her daughters when they were little. Halloween costumes, dance costumes for Hungarian folk dancing, poodle skirts for 50 s day at school and countless aprons that she would give to everyone she met. She loved ceramics and made many beautiful pieces that we will always cherish. She always made our birthdays special by making us special birthday cakes and elaborate themes, making an ice cream stand out of cardboard or making cardboard records for a 50 s party.She loved to cook, especially Hungarian recipes. She made sure her girls knew how to make haluska, chicken paprikash, cabbage rolls and countless cookie recipes. There were many nacho, Mardi Gras, and Cinco de Mayo parties where authentic foods and beverages were always on the menu!At 50 she got her first tattoo and started riding motorcycles. She said she truly felt free when she was riding. She made so many lifelong friends when she joined the BMW motorcycle club, where at one point she served as the store manager and helped with the annual drive in tune up. She loved traveling to all of the different club events.Cheryl wanted to be an archeologist and attended Bowling Green for a short time. That dream did not come to fruition as life gets in the way sometimes. She worked at the American Ship Building Company as a keypunch operator until their closing. After that she had several different jobs until she became the Assistant to the Treasurer at Clearview High School for the next 30 years. One of the jobs she had in between was at a spice factory. To this day I cannot go over that bridge on Route 2 and smell those spices without thinking of my mom. Cheryl was very proud of her service to Sheffield Township as an EMT on the rescue squad and never missed an opportunity to regale people with stories from rescue runs.She loved the southwest and made several trips to Sedona to visit her cousin, even taking her granddaughter Olivia with her on one of those trips to share her passion. Walking into her house you could tell what a passion she had for the history of the southwest. She was always dressed in turquoise and wore her southwest jewelry proudly. She wouldn t be our mom if she wasn t wearing her tight brightly colored, wacky designed leggings. There are just so many great memories of our mother, we could just go on and on. We will celebrate Cheryl on what would have been her 77th birthday on Monday, October 16, 2023 with visitation from 3-7 pm and a 6:30 pm prayer service at the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral and Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Rd, Amherst. Graveside services at 11 am on Tuesday, October 17 at Ridge Hill Memorial Park (Please meet inside the front gates of the cemetery) followed by a luncheon at German s Villa.This will not be a somber event, Cheryl was full of life and loved a party. Please wear her favorite color turquoise, southwest jewelry or some crazy leggings in her honor. If you have a photo of her with a memory to share, please bring it, so we can share in all of your memories.If you are willing or able at some time, please donate blood in her memory. Without everything she received she wouldnβt have survived as long as she did. Memorial donations can be made to the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, SafeMiles Endowment at https://bmwmoaf.givingfuel.com/safemiles-endowment. The Hungarian Reformed Church of Christ in Lorain or a charity of your choice.
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