Cheryl Darlene (Nicholson) Shimp

Cheryl Darlene Nicholson Shimp was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 1, 1954 and passed away at  JourneyCare Hospice in Barrington, Illinois on September 16, 2021. Cheryl was 67 years young. She had been battling cancer for the past 13 months.

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, dearly loving all aspects of life as the years passed. Born into an Air Force family she was raised on Airbases in the USA,  then Ankara Turkey and Torrejon Spain.

Torrejon was where she first met her future husband, Nicholas. In fact, the first time she saw him sitting at a table outside a cafe, she went home and told her Mother “I just saw the man I’m going to marry”. 2 years later in 1971 they were married at the former Lockbourne AFB near Columbus, Ohio, and they stayed together in love and mutual respect for over 50 years.

Doll artist, doll collector, doll appraiser, avid boater, fisher, and fluent in both Spanish and French, Cheryl was a lover of life and the music of the Beatles and Tom Petty. A concert goer, fan and sometimes “band groupie” of the Buckinghams and Beatles tribute band, American English. She was a friend to each band member. She was a joy to be around and her favorite saying was “Wait, I may do something cute” and usually did. Most people that met her came away as friends.

Halloween was her favorite season as costumes were the reason. Those who worked with her at Savers will know how she loved to dress up in costumes that she crafted each year starting in October. She enjoyed her life in everything she did. Her personality was warm, bubbly and contiguous. Cheryl was exactly who you met, honest, loyal and true. She was always there to give love and affection to her family and to be a wonderful person among her friends and co-workers. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Cheryl was proceeded in death by her parents, Billy Grey Nicholson and Sadie Marie Berry Nicholson.

Surviving family members include husband, Nicholas; daughters, Emily and Stacie; sister, Vicky; four grandchildren, Ashley, Joyce, Jeffery and Ash; one great grandchild, Christopher; along with many  cousins, especially cousin, Joy, her BFF.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 3rd, from 10am until 1pm at the Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 419 East Terra Cotta Avenue, Crystal Lake.

Please dress casual, jeans etc.. Cheryl was bright, cheerful and colorful in life, so all black is only allowed if you come as Darth Vader or his wife Ella… her friends and acquaintances will understand…