CheraLee "Cherry" (Knaak) Avery

Memorial Services for CheraLee “Cherry” Avery, 80, Hastings, formerly of Norfolk, will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 14, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Bridget Gately will officiate. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.  Visitation with family will be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Home for Funerals Chapel, 708 Georgia Avenue.  Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Avery passed away Thursday, December 5, 2019 at the Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings. 

Cherry was born on December 18, 1938 to Harold and Frances (Henery) Knaak at the Knaak homeplace southeast of Plainview. She attended school in District 9 and 17 until 1948. Then the family moved east of Norfolk, where she finished her elementary education at District 10. In 1952 they moved to Stanton where she attended High School and graduated in 1956. She took training in high school which allowed her to teach country schools, and she taught near Pilger. After that she went to Norfolk Jr College for 2 years.

Cherry married William (Bill) Avery on January 18, 1959 at First United Methodist Church in Norfolk. After they were married, they lived in Stanton for a year and then moved to the Avery farmstead in Norfolk. In 1969 they moved to Wayne for 1 year, while she continued her education. Then they moved to Hastings in 1970, and she was a para with Hastings Public Schools. They also managed the Grand Motel for a year. While in Hastings, she found a love for playing bridge, and was very active at First United Methodist Church. In 1979 they moved back to the Avery Farm. She taught preschool with Alice Dietz. She slowly became active in many bridge clubs, and was always ready to be a sub. She was very active with the church, always helping when needed. This included helping with the men's breakfast, Church rummage sales, UMW, Debra Circle and UMCOR.

They did lots of traveling around the United States, and made countless trips to the grandchildren, and great-grandchildren’s activities. They were booster club members at Northeast Community College. They always enjoyed meeting with their "McDonalds coffee group". She never missed a night of her favorite tv show, Wheel of Fortune. Cherry was at Bel-Air nursing home in Norfolk from July 2018 until March 1, 2019 when she moved back to Hastings to be closer to family after Bill's passing. She loved being right down the street from 4 of her great-grandchildren, who came to visit often, played cards, bingo and enjoyed root beer floats.

Cherry is survived by her daughter Jennifer (Cliff) Terwey of Juniata; her grandchildren, Brent (Michelle) Terwey, Kylee (R.E.) Simmons, and Kevin Terwey, all of Hastings; her great-grandchildren, Anthony Terwey, Karsyn, Keaten, Kynlee and Kaelyr Simmons, and Kade Terwey; her brother Larry (Janice) Knaak of Plainview, sister-in-law Jane Knaak of Omaha, sister Karen McDonald of Norfolk, and sister Jacque (Tim) Lattimer of Gretna; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, daughter Julie Anne, her in-laws Ira and Selma Avery, brother Roger Knaak, brother-in-law Roger McDonald.

Memorials may be given to the family or First United Methodist Church.

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