Elmer Ray Cherry Jr.
1927 - 2007
VETERAN
Elmer Ray Cherry passed away on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, at the Village Health Care Center in Missoula after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
He was born on July 5, 1927, in Omaha, Neb. Always the prankster throughout his life, he claimed his actual date of birth to be July 4! He was the fifth of eight children and was a record-breaking baby, weighing in at 14 pounds.
At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he fought at the tail end of World War II. While in the Navy, he traveled around the Pacific, including service in Japan and the Philippines. He received an American Area Ribbon, Victory Ribbon World War II, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon (1 star) and Philippine Liberation Ribbon (1 star).
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he married and had five children, Carol, Elmer, Linda, Gary and Pam, all of whom he was immensely proud. He later divorced and eventually married Louise Jakovac, with whom he had two more children, Ellen and Billy.
Throughout his life, Elmer worked in the meat packing industry, did boiler and refrigeration work and eventually owned his own butcher shop in Santa Ana, Calif., from 1974 to 1977. Tired of city life, he and his family moved to Corvallis, Mont., in the fall of 1977, where they owned Cherry's Ranch House Cafe. He was a successful restaurant owner for 25 years.
He very much liked working with the public. He especially enjoyed telling jokes, stories and generally teasing everyone he came in contact with. He spent much of his free time playing cribbage or pinochle with his friends and family. He was an excellent dancer and was known to stay out on the dance floor until the band went home. He was also an active Mason and Shriner.
Two years after moving to Corvallis, he purchased 20 acres in the area and eventually raised cattle that he treated like pets. At various times, there were also pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even a horse on the property.
In 2004, when he could no longer handle all of the chores on the farm, Elmer, Louise and Billy moved to Missoula. Shortly afterward, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, he was also diagnosed with cancer and doctors placed him in the Village Health Care Center where he lived out his final days.
He is survived by his wife Louise Cherry of Missoula; daughter Carol (Denny) Davis of Meridian, Idaho; son Elmer "Bub" (Sandra) Cherry, daughter Linda (Darryl) Shurtliff, and daughter Pam (Kenny) Meyers, all of Idaho Falls, Idaho; son Gary (Gail) Cherry of Omaha, Neb.; step-daughter Janie (Bob) Charles of Hamilton; step-son David (Elise) Jakovac of Boise, Idaho; daughter Ellen Cherry and son Dallas Billy Cherry, both of Missoula; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 2 p.m. and will be officiated by Pastor Steve Brackman of CrossPoint Christian Fellowship. Burial will follow at the Corvallis Cemetery with military honors provided by the Corvallis American Legion and the U.S. Navy.
1927 - 2007
VETERAN
Elmer Ray Cherry passed away on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, at the Village Health Care Center in Missoula after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
He was born on July 5, 1927, in Omaha, Neb. Always the prankster throughout his life, he claimed his actual date of birth to be July 4! He was the fifth of eight children and was a record-breaking baby, weighing in at 14 pounds.
At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he fought at the tail end of World War II. While in the Navy, he traveled around the Pacific, including service in Japan and the Philippines. He received an American Area Ribbon, Victory Ribbon World War II, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon (1 star) and Philippine Liberation Ribbon (1 star).
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he married and had five children, Carol, Elmer, Linda, Gary and Pam, all of whom he was immensely proud. He later divorced and eventually married Louise Jakovac, with whom he had two more children, Ellen and Billy.
Throughout his life, Elmer worked in the meat packing industry, did boiler and refrigeration work and eventually owned his own butcher shop in Santa Ana, Calif., from 1974 to 1977. Tired of city life, he and his family moved to Corvallis, Mont., in the fall of 1977, where they owned Cherry's Ranch House Cafe. He was a successful restaurant owner for 25 years.
He very much liked working with the public. He especially enjoyed telling jokes, stories and generally teasing everyone he came in contact with. He spent much of his free time playing cribbage or pinochle with his friends and family. He was an excellent dancer and was known to stay out on the dance floor until the band went home. He was also an active Mason and Shriner.
Two years after moving to Corvallis, he purchased 20 acres in the area and eventually raised cattle that he treated like pets. At various times, there were also pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even a horse on the property.
In 2004, when he could no longer handle all of the chores on the farm, Elmer, Louise and Billy moved to Missoula. Shortly afterward, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, he was also diagnosed with cancer and doctors placed him in the Village Health Care Center where he lived out his final days.
He is survived by his wife Louise Cherry of Missoula; daughter Carol (Denny) Davis of Meridian, Idaho; son Elmer "Bub" (Sandra) Cherry, daughter Linda (Darryl) Shurtliff, and daughter Pam (Kenny) Meyers, all of Idaho Falls, Idaho; son Gary (Gail) Cherry of Omaha, Neb.; step-daughter Janie (Bob) Charles of Hamilton; step-son David (Elise) Jakovac of Boise, Idaho; daughter Ellen Cherry and son Dallas Billy Cherry, both of Missoula; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 2 p.m. and will be officiated by Pastor Steve Brackman of CrossPoint Christian Fellowship. Burial will follow at the Corvallis Cemetery with military honors provided by the Corvallis American Legion and the U.S. Navy.
Elmer Ray Cherry Jr.
1927 - 2007
VETERAN
Elmer Ray Cherry passed away on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, at the Village Health Care Center in Missoula after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
He was born on July 5, 1927, in Omaha, Neb. Always the prankster throughout his life, he claimed his actual date of birth to be July 4! He was the fifth of eight children and was a record-breaking baby, weighing in at 14 pounds.
At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he fought at the tail end of World War II. While in the Navy, he traveled around the Pacific, including service in Japan and the Philippines. He received an American Area Ribbon, Victory Ribbon World War II, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon (1 star) and Philippine Liberation Ribbon (1 star).
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he married and had five children, Carol, Elmer, Linda, Gary and Pam, all of whom he was immensely proud. He later divorced and eventually married Louise Jakovac, with whom he had two more children, Ellen and Billy.
Throughout his life, Elmer worked in the meat packing industry, did boiler and refrigeration work and eventually owned his own butcher shop in Santa Ana, Calif., from 1974 to 1977. Tired of city life, he and his family moved to Corvallis, Mont., in the fall of 1977, where they owned Cherry's Ranch House Cafe. He was a successful restaurant owner for 25 years.
He very much liked working with the public. He especially enjoyed telling jokes, stories and generally teasing everyone he came in contact with. He spent much of his free time playing cribbage or pinochle with his friends and family. He was an excellent dancer and was known to stay out on the dance floor until the band went home. He was also an active Mason and Shriner.
Two years after moving to Corvallis, he purchased 20 acres in the area and eventually raised cattle that he treated like pets. At various times, there were also pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even a horse on the property.
In 2004, when he could no longer handle all of the chores on the farm, Elmer, Louise and Billy moved to Missoula. Shortly afterward, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, he was also diagnosed with cancer and doctors placed him in the Village Health Care Center where he lived out his final days.
He is survived by his wife Louise Cherry of Missoula; daughter Carol (Denny) Davis of Meridian, Idaho; son Elmer "Bub" (Sandra) Cherry, daughter Linda (Darryl) Shurtliff, and daughter Pam (Kenny) Meyers, all of Idaho Falls, Idaho; son Gary (Gail) Cherry of Omaha, Neb.; step-daughter Janie (Bob) Charles of Hamilton; step-son David (Elise) Jakovac of Boise, Idaho; daughter Ellen Cherry and son Dallas Billy Cherry, both of Missoula; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 2 p.m. and will be officiated by Pastor Steve Brackman of CrossPoint Christian Fellowship. Burial will follow at the Corvallis Cemetery with military honors provided by the Corvallis American Legion and the U.S. Navy.
1927 - 2007
VETERAN
Elmer Ray Cherry passed away on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, at the Village Health Care Center in Missoula after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
He was born on July 5, 1927, in Omaha, Neb. Always the prankster throughout his life, he claimed his actual date of birth to be July 4! He was the fifth of eight children and was a record-breaking baby, weighing in at 14 pounds.
At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he fought at the tail end of World War II. While in the Navy, he traveled around the Pacific, including service in Japan and the Philippines. He received an American Area Ribbon, Victory Ribbon World War II, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon (1 star) and Philippine Liberation Ribbon (1 star).
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he married and had five children, Carol, Elmer, Linda, Gary and Pam, all of whom he was immensely proud. He later divorced and eventually married Louise Jakovac, with whom he had two more children, Ellen and Billy.
Throughout his life, Elmer worked in the meat packing industry, did boiler and refrigeration work and eventually owned his own butcher shop in Santa Ana, Calif., from 1974 to 1977. Tired of city life, he and his family moved to Corvallis, Mont., in the fall of 1977, where they owned Cherry's Ranch House Cafe. He was a successful restaurant owner for 25 years.
He very much liked working with the public. He especially enjoyed telling jokes, stories and generally teasing everyone he came in contact with. He spent much of his free time playing cribbage or pinochle with his friends and family. He was an excellent dancer and was known to stay out on the dance floor until the band went home. He was also an active Mason and Shriner.
Two years after moving to Corvallis, he purchased 20 acres in the area and eventually raised cattle that he treated like pets. At various times, there were also pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even a horse on the property.
In 2004, when he could no longer handle all of the chores on the farm, Elmer, Louise and Billy moved to Missoula. Shortly afterward, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, he was also diagnosed with cancer and doctors placed him in the Village Health Care Center where he lived out his final days.
He is survived by his wife Louise Cherry of Missoula; daughter Carol (Denny) Davis of Meridian, Idaho; son Elmer "Bub" (Sandra) Cherry, daughter Linda (Darryl) Shurtliff, and daughter Pam (Kenny) Meyers, all of Idaho Falls, Idaho; son Gary (Gail) Cherry of Omaha, Neb.; step-daughter Janie (Bob) Charles of Hamilton; step-son David (Elise) Jakovac of Boise, Idaho; daughter Ellen Cherry and son Dallas Billy Cherry, both of Missoula; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
Funeral services will be held at the funeral home at 2 p.m. and will be officiated by Pastor Steve Brackman of CrossPoint Christian Fellowship. Burial will follow at the Corvallis Cemetery with military honors provided by the Corvallis American Legion and the U.S. Navy.
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