Cheryl Louise Powers

Cheryl Louise Powers (Manina), age 76, lost her battle to cancer surrounded by her loving family on March 25, 2025, at McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital. She was born on the family farm in North Star, Michigan to Joseph Jr. and Rosa Manina on July 2, 1948. At the ripe old age of 2, she decided to scale the corn crib and was discovered making her great escape by her mother looking out the kitchen window while washing dishes.

Cheryl attended Lansing Eastern High School, class of 1966 and twirled the baton in the marching band. Growing up, she was entered into beauty pageants, attended many state fairs and during high school, she won Miss Michigan Teenager in 1963 and still has the sash from this achievement. Cheryl took classes at Michigan State University and had a true love for their marching band and football team. You could hear her from the next room telling the players through the TV to run the ball! Cheryl earned many certifications and great accomplishments at MSU. She was a Spartan through and through.

While working in Washington D.C at a law firm, Cheryl met the love of her life for the last 51 years of marriage, Ronald Edward Powers of Alexandria, Virginia. After the marriage proposal, they moved to Michigan and were married February 16, 1974. In February of 1980, they welcomed their first born, a daughter Lisa, and in August of 1982, they welcomed their son, Scott.

Cheryl is survived by her husband Ronald, daughter Lisa (Chris) Kaericher of South Lyon, MI and son, Scott Powers of Lansing, MI. In May of 2008, she was overjoyed to welcome a granddaughter, Katie Kaericher, who meant everything to her. She was always proud of her beauty, smarts, and the way she lights up the stage when dancing. Taking out her phone to show anyone willing to look at pictures of her granddaughter brought her such joy. Cheryl is also survived by several nieces and nephews, cousins, and her grand dogs Rosie, Vinnie and Lily. Cheryl is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Rosa Manina, her older brother William Manina, nephew Jeffrey Manina and great niece, Amber Manina, her mother and father-in-law James and Mary Powers, brother-in-law Thomas Powers and sister-in-law Kathy Powers.

After 30 years, she retired from the State of Michigan Employment Relations Board, Department of Civil Service where she worked as an executive secretary. Her hard work, dedication and ability to plan and throw the best celebrations did not go unnoticed. During her career, she also worked for MSU, Story Oldsmobile and Hal Gross.

Cheryl was the best dance mom you could ask for. Supporting her kids love of dance, supporting them in marching band and pompon and chauffeuring them everywhere was something she was always doing. From Lansing to Clawson to Virginia Beach to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Ocean City and Chicago….we were always on the move! She would clap and yell the loudest when her two hearts were on the stage. She was the biggest supporter of Ronald when he competed with the other dance dads from the dance studio as they brought down the house dancing to “Soul Man” from The Blues Brothers. She even took adult dance classes and did a mom dance one year at a dance recital. There was never a time she was not chaperoning out of town or out of state school trips and many lifelong memories were made.

Cheryl had a love for traveling, sending text messages, attending and watching musicals, rockhounding, being outdoors and enjoying the flowers, shopping, being with her family and friends and watching Hallmark Movies. Born into a family of rockhounds, she was a lifetime member of the Central Michigan Lapidary and Mineral Society and took pride in watching her father demonstrate faceting. She would wear any piece of jewelry that her father made for her proudly. The world will not be the same without Cheryl and her beautiful smile, her infectious laugh, her kind heart and ability to make anyone she encounters feel loved. She loved the movie musical and more importantly the music from Mamma Mia. Your family wants you to know, “You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life…..”

A memorial service will take place on Sunday, April 6, 2025, from 1-4 pm at Gorsline Runciman Tiffany Chapel on 3232 W Saginaw St, Lansing, MI 48917