Kenneth Gordon Cherry

Kenneth Gordon Cherry was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee on August 20, 1935, to Murray and Mable Cherry. He had wonderful memories of riding on the milk truck with his father and his job repairing radios in high school.

He served in the Navy for 2 years as a sonar and radio operator, where he thrived in his responsibilities. He enjoyed the challenges so much that they led him to pursue a degree in electrical engineering after his military service.

He also enjoyed visiting unfamiliar places. He met Jackie, the love of his life and wife of 65 years, while completing a naval training course in Illinois.

They began their life together in Nashville, where he completed his electrical engineering degree at Vanderbilt University and worked at WSM radio station.

He began his career working with specialty transistors at Texas Instruments in Dallas, while earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering at SMU. He spent most of his career selling semiconductors in California and Texas, but his last working years were spent selling computer chips to the defense industry for smart missiles. The rapid advancement of technology within his field of expertise required a commitment to lifelong learning, which he also encouraged in his children and all those around him. He instilled in his daughters the belief that they could “be anything they wanted.” Despite working 60-hour weeks, he always made time for his family, ensuring that his wife and children spent their summers and holidays with extended family, despite the many miles between them. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his and his wife’s parents, siblings, nieces, nephews and their families over the years, often considering them bonus children and grandchildren.

After retiring, DeDa, as his grandkids knew him, loved spending at least a month every summer traveling with and to his family around the country. He especially enjoyed their trips to Alaska, where his grandkids loved hiking the many trails to glaciers, ice fields, rivers, and marshes with him while looking for bears, moose, salmon, and ice worms. The only caveat was that the trip could not start until the stock market had closed for the day.

Kenneth and Jackie were quick to drop everything and travel to care for their family. Ken spent the last 10 years of his life as a devoted caregiver, selflessly surrendering his golden years to lovingly care for his wife.

He went by many names: Kenneth, Ken, son, big brother, Uncle Ken, Ken-Ken, Kennerd, DeDa, and Mo, but the most important was child of God.

He and his wife Jackie made their Christian life a priority. They served in churches wherever they lived and helped numerous families along the way. They cultivated lifelong friendships with members from each of the churches they served.

Ken was a great example of a Christian son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, friend, and co-worker. He was a role model in every sense of the word, living his Christian values in every decision he made and every step along his life’s path.

After Ken was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer earlier this year, he relentlessly pursued treatment until he passed away on October 15, 2021, surrounded by his loving family.

Ken is survived by his wife Jackie Cherry; his children Deborah Wass and Donna Eller (husband Gary); his grandchildren Erika Wass, Matthew Eller (wife Erin), Derek Steele-Wass (wife Ruby), and Andrew Eller (wife Alyssa); his sister Patricia Sims; and many nieces, nephews, family, and friends that he loved very much. He was preceded in death by his parents Murray and Mable Cherry and his sister Juanita Boyd.

A memorial service celebrating Ken’s life will be held Saturday, October 23, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at the church of Christ on McDermott Road. A livestream of the service will be available at https://www.ccmcdermott.org/funeral/

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ken’s name to North Texas Food Bank at https://ntfb.org/get-involved/donate