December 4, 1966 – June 15, 2021
Joan Annette Kleitch Cherry (Joanie) was born on December 4, 1966 in Pontiac, Michigan, to Joseph and Mary Kleitch. She was the second born after her sister Theresa. She passed away peacefully on June 15, 2021. On his 89th birthday, she met her father in heaven.
When she was five years old, Joanie and her family moved from Michigan to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She grew up there and graduated from high school. She was attending Northern Arizona University when she agreed to travel to Phoenix to visit a friend’s cousin and roommate. She hit it off with roommate Grant Cherry and the couple married exactly a year later.
They lived in Lake Havasu for three years, during which time Joanie attended Charles of Italy Beauty School and received her nail technician license. It was then that the nail business A Touch of Class was born. Immediately after getting her nail license, the couple moved to Grant’s hometown of John Day, Oregon, where she practiced her craft and adorned the hands of local ladies with her talent and wonderful nails. Her infectious smiles and laughter quickly earned her a large clientele.
In 1993, Joanie gave birth to their first daughter, Amanda Beth Cherry, and two years later to their second daughter, Josie Pauline Cherry Muth. During their time in John Day, both Joanie and Grant began attending church in the Church of the Nazarene. They both accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and served the Church there in several roles, but most of all they loved sharing the service with their friends, the Mosleys. Joanie loved to sing and share her talent.
In 2002 the family moved to the Pendleton, Oregon area. Joanie became a mother who stayed at home while doing website design. The family has lived in Pilot Rock, Oregon for 13 years.
Joanie enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her children and her only grandchild. Being a Grammy was everything to her and she loved being with everyone. She also loved the ocean on the Oregon coast and wanted to spend as much time there as possible. She would have lived there if it had been possible. Fall and winter were her favorite seasons because it was cold that had fall colors, pumpkins, and scary shows. Christmas was her favorite holiday. The house would turn into a snowman country with snowmen everywhere and shopping, which women don’t like to shop.
Her father, Joseph Paul Kleitch, preceded her in death in 2006. She leaves behind her 32-year-old husband, Grant Cherry; Daughter Amanda Cherry; Son-in-law and daughter Gary and Josie Muth and their son Allen Michael Muth; Mother Mary Margaret Kleitch and sister Theresa Marie Hamman; and her newest child, who is most precious to her, her 7-pound Chihuahua, Mighty Mo.
Services will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 1 p.m. at the Life Church of Pilot Rock, 222 SW Third St., Pilot Rock, Oregon. The celebration of life is presided over by Chris Clemons of the Church of the Nazarene in Pendleton and Pilot Rock.
Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of the arrangements.
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