Cheri Marie Ousley

Cheri was welcomed into this world on September 8th, 1955 to Doris and William Pratt. She was born at Saint Joseph's hospital in Tacoma, WA. On the morning of November 23, 2015, Cheri was suddenly taken away from us at her home surrounded by her family. She was 60 years old.

Cheri was the oldest child of five children, which included her brother Daniel, and three sisters Cathy, Carrie, and Christine. Her father served in the U.S. Army, and as member of a military family, they traveled to postings around the world. Cheri worked side by side with her mother to help with her younger siblings while her father was away serving his Country. This is where Cheri learned her joy of family, her sense of humor, and bright outlook for life that attracted many friends. Growing up in a Catholic family, Cheri attended St. Francis Cabrini School in her early life and attended Lakes H.S in Lakewood, WA, later on. There, she and her brother Daniel became especially close, getting into all kinds of mischief.

A few years later she was blessed with her first son, David Michael and 14 months later she welcomed her second son Christopher Clayton into her life.

She met her husband, Floyd (Fred) in 1980; they dated for a year and were married on 18 September, 1981. They were married for 34 years. Floyd was in the Air Force, and their first assignment as a married couple was in Rapid City, SD. There, they were blessed with their 3rd son, Brandon Scott on January, 20 1983. Although South Dakota was a beautiful area, it was a little desolate. It was very cold, snowy, and icy in the winter. In fact when her sister-in-law, Cheryl came to visit one time in the winter, Cheri went and picked her up at the airport and on the drive home did a 360 on an overpass. That story was told for years only in that she was so proud she was able to still drive home with a car no worse for the ware and an intact sister-in-law.

A Mother of three, she was off to Ramstein Air Base Germany in Aug, 1983, where her 4th son Adam Sean was born May 21, 1985. Cheri absolutely loved Germany. She loved the castles, the different factories, and just the all-around German experience. Thank God for her friend Don. If not for him she wouldn’t have gotten to see as much of Germany as she did while she was there. There are many fun stories of her time there, too numerous to mention. She loved Germany so much she planned a European cruise upon her husband’s retirement.

Back to the “world” (United States), as they called it when you were stationed overseas. Back home to McChord AFB in May of 1986. This was a blessing in the fact that she had been separated from family and friends for three years. She spent a wonderful three and a half years here at home. Being a military wife is sometimes not easy with all of the family separation that comes with it, so being stationed at home was a real blessing. This was family time. Translation, we lived a somewhat normal life for this time.

From McChord she was heading to the Midwest, Omaha NE. Cheri enjoyed her time in Omaha. The little ones were in school, and her first born, Mike was starting college. The winters were cold, but she did dislike the cold or the infrequent tornado warnings. It was so cold one winter (-30F) they cancelled Halloween. Not discouraged, Cheri decided to have a Halloween party and invited all the neighborhood kids. There was a piñata breaking and kids went crazy. She absolutely loved it.

Well, from one extreme to another. Off to Hawaii. Wow, what an experience. She enjoyed her four years in HI. She didn’t love it, but she didn’t hate it either. She loved the beauty and all the things to do, but she disliked…wait for it…the heat. All who knew Cheri, knew how she like the coolness, no, she liked it cold. She loved all the family that came to visit and showing them the island. Cheri worked at the housing maintenance office as a dispatcher. Everyone loved her there as they did ever where she worked. Her working in the housing maintenance office very convenient, at least in one instance. Everyone knew how Cheri loved the cold. Well we lived in a four bedroom in base housing at the time. Yes it was air conditioned. The air conditioner ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Her husband would get up to go to work around 5 a.m. He would walk outside where it was warmer outside than it was inside. Well, after 3 years and 9 months, the air conditioner finally broke. There is usually a few days wait for this kind of work to be done, however Cheri did work in the housing maintenance office. Suffice to say, the air conditioner was fixed by the end of the day. There wasn’t anyone who knew her, who didn’t like her. That included all she worked with. They would do anything for Cheri, which included instant repairs on her air conditioner.

After Hawaii, she headed off to Colorado Springs. Kids in school and starting to drive she got a job at Labor Finders and found a host of new friends. For those who really knew Cheri, there’s a town called Cripple Creek. It’s an old gold mining town converted to basically nothing but mom and pop casinos. How she loved Cripple Creek. Her husband was the first to go though. They had only been in town a couple of days, living at the Radisson Hotel. Floyd had gone on one of his new area drives and stumbled upon Cripple Creek. When he got back to the hotel he showed Cheri his winnings and the first thing she said was, I wanna go, let’s go. This was the beginning of a lifelong relationship.

We all have family and friends we love and share our lives with. Military friends are like no other. Because you are separated from your family and friends, you bond with your new friends quickly and they become your family for life. It is like no other relationship you have had in the past or will have in the future when you have left the military. You may or may not see them again, but they are always in your thoughts. So thank you for being in our lives, Don, Robin, John, Craig, Lori, Jim, Sue, Becky, David T., Bobbie, Ruthie, Cliff, Holly, Diane, Rod, and many many more. I know I’ve missed some people here, please forgive me, but Cheri was my memory.

It’s 2000 now and it is time to retire from the military. When Floyd left the Air Force in Aug of that year, Cheri continued to work at Labor Finders until the family was settled. She came home to Olalla later that year. When she finally joined the family she was made an offer she couldn’t refuse. Floyd told her that if they could afford it she wouldn’t have to work anymore. She gladly accepted that offer and became a house hold engineer. And she really was. She took care of her family for the rest of her life. She was the glue that held everything together for everyone.

Cheri, in life cherished the moments of finally being home in Olalla, in what she called God’s Country. She did what she loved the most, being a wife, mother, daughter, sister-in-law, sister, aunt, and grandmother to, Zavry, Tyler, Cecilia, and Cabien. A friend to anyone who wanted to visit, laugh, and drink a cup coffee, as long you took off your shoes before coming into the house. Selfless, she would help those who were in need, comfort for those who were in pain, did not pass judgment, or hold a grudge. Cheri was all those things in life and she will remain all those things in death by those she touched. She will always be loved for who she was.

I was and am so very blessed. My wife, my love, my everything is gone now and nothing will be the same. Her memory and the memories we shared will be treasured forever and not forgotten. She took care of me from the day I met her until the day she passed. She was selfless and giving, she asked for nothing for herself. When a family decision was to be made, we conferred, we shared opinions and the decision was made jointly. She loved her family deeply. Her grandchildren really were her joy. When she went overboard on anything it was with the grandchildren. It made her happy. That’s what was important to her. I love you honey, always and forever. I know that you are with God and I will see you again. Know that I am waiting for that time with great anticipation. I love you with all my heart and soul. I won’t say goodbye my love, but I will see you a little later.