Cheryl Ann Christianson died on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Resthave Care & Rehabilitation in Morrison, IL, after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 76.
Cheryl was born in Rock Island County, IL, on January 25, 1947, and graduated from Rockridge High School in 1964. She attended Blackhawk Community College and the University of Illinois, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in Biology, graduating summa cum laude. After graduating, Cheryl taught science at Colchester High School in Colchester, IL, for three years. In 1973, she started at Sterling High School, where she taught Biology until her retirement in 2003.
Cheryl was a beloved Teacher, Coach, and colleague at Sterling High School from 1973-2003. When Title IX legislation created new opportunities for women’s high school sports, Cheryl volunteered to keep statistics during Sterling Volleyball and Girls Basketball games, including during the 1977 Championship season for Sterling Girls Basketball. She was President of the Sterling Education Association during a critical contract negotiation year in 1982, when the teachers voted to strike, eventually winning their contract demands with the administration. From 1989 until her retirement, Cheryl coached the SHS Scholastic Bowl team, earning more than 600 Varsity wins and multiple IHSA Regional Championships, and coaching two individual players to spots on the elite Team Illinois. Her service as a Coach and leader earned her a place in the Illinois High School Scholastic Bowl Coaches’ Association Hall of Fame in 2007. She was widely respected as a model of sportsmanship, integrity, and intellectual excellence. As a Biology teacher, Cheryl taught thousands of students to understand the fundamentals of life, from plant identification and cellular respiration, to anatomy and genetics. She was regarded as a no-nonsense teacher who was as compassionate and giving as she was firm and fair. Willing to match effort with any student who put in honest work, she was proud that in her 30+ years, only one student failed her Freshman Biology class. Cheryl was a trusted mentor to students and fellow teachers alike, and her classroom was a safe haven for oddballs and outcasts over many years.
Outside of work, Cheryl was an avid gardener and lover of all God’s creatures. She was particularly passionate about wildflowers and other native plants and the importance of pollinators in the ecosystem. In retirement, she became a Master Gardener through University of Illinois Extension and was an active member of Whiteside County Master Gardeners, until her illness overcame her. Cheryl cared for indoor and stray cats, wild birds, and any other critters who came around her house (including former students.) She played Bridge regularly, often bringing home-cooked treats, to the delight of her Bridge partners.
As a sister and aunt, Cheryl was the keeper of tradition, sharing her family’s Swedish culture through language and food.
Cheryl is survived by her brother, Ross Christianson, and his wife, Becky, of Morton, IL; nephews, Travis Christianson, and his wife, Amy, of Bloomington, IL, Brock Christianson of New York City, NY, and Adam Christianson, of Morton; great-nieces and great-nephew, Hanna, Grace, and David Christianson, all of Bloomington; close friends Anne Burch and Frances Bishop.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Stone Christianson and Margaret Johnson Christianson, and older brother Neal Christianson.
Ross and Becky Christianson invite Cheryl’s friends and loved ones to join them for a Celebration of Cheryl’s life, at First Presbyterian Church in Sterling, IL, on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. and the Service is at 2:00 p.m., with refreshments to follow.
Memorial donations can be sent to University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners of Whiteside County; American Red Cross; The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.