Our good friend Mel brought Cherie into our lives, and I am so grateful to have known her. I have never met a more genuine person with such incredible strength — not only physical strength, but mental and emotional strength as well. She fought her battle with so much heart, courage, and grace. I can only hope that if I were ever faced with the same situation, I would be even half as strong as she was. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered with love and admiration.

Our thoughts and prayers for peace and comfort go out to Mel, Carter, and Harrison during this incredibly difficult time.

I wish I could remember when I first met Cherie.  Maybe 2012?  I’m wondering when she was first diagnosed as it was shortly thereafter.  I remember some of our earliest discussions about her illness.  She explained that there was a continuum of drugs that one could take for multiple myeloma and when the drugs ran out, her life would end.  And I followed her through those drugs as she endured them bravely over the years.  She’d go in for chemo and patiently sit for hours on end to be infused and at times even in the early years, it seemed that her life was consumed with medical problems.  We would talk through the great and not-so-great doctors that she had and hope to make the situation better.  I remember she had BMT (?) at UCSF (?) when the boys were still young — so brave.  She sent me the most delightful handmade cards that she created over the years and we so enjoyed getting together over the holidays to catch up.  Her greatest joy was her sons.  Somewhere I have tucked away the photo of when they became Eagle Scouts.  She loved them both so deeply.  The stories …!  She endured Carter’s illness while battling her own with a balance of grace and tenacity.  She had a fabulous smile and laugh, such pizzaz and humor and was wonderfully feminine and beautiful.  I’m so grateful to have known her.  I would love to join you for her service but if I don’t, it’s only because I cannot leave my husband who has recently been hospitalized.  Cherie would always sign off on her notes to me: Muuuuuuah.  So I will say: Muuuuuah to you, lovely Cherie.  I will carry a little bit of your in my heart.

She was such a wonderful positive person and so much fun. Tahoe trip 2010….. one of many fun times we had together. She will be missed. 🙏🏻

Cherie was a beautiful person inside and out. Despite battling her illness for years, she rarely showed the challenges she faced daily. She managed to always prioritize the people around her, listening to their stories, showing love and support during difficult conversations, and offering wisdom where it was needed.
In true Cherie fashion, she defied the odds the doctors gave her by over a year, a testament to her incredible bravery and strength. She faced her journey with a grace and resilience that was nothing short of inspiring to all who witnessed it.
I had many profound conversations with her over the years. She was a light I gravitated towards at social gatherings. Her smile and eyes lit up every room she walked into. She had a great sense of humor and an infectious zest for life that made everyone around her feel more alive.
To all who had the privilege of knowing her, whether as family, a friend, or even a passing acquaintance, you felt it. That warmth. That presence. That rare and genuine spirit that doesn’t come along often.
Her beautiful soul will always be remembered and cherished by all who knew her, and she holds a very special place in my heart forever.
To Mel and her boys- I send big hugs

OBITUARY

Cherie Ann Carter

May 22, 1962 – May 10, 2026

Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary

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