Cheryl Louise Walton

Cheryl Louise Gibson Walton, 78, of Amarillo, Texas, went to sit at the feet of Jesus on Sunday, March 8, 2026. She passed peacefully with her brother and niece holding her hands as she took her last breath here on earth.

Born on May 17, 1947, in Bloomington, Indiana to Mahlon and JoAnn Gibson, Cheryl, Aunt Cherie, Momma Don, was driven by an indomitable spirit in a tiny little body. She married the love of her life Ronald Sterling Walton on February 1, 1978. She and Ron lived in Germany in their early years of marriage, and she delighted in telling stories of her many adventures traveling Europe on the back of Ron’s motorcycle. When they returned to the States, she started her long nursing career. She ended it by caring for patients in nursing homes and to this day remembered their full names, who their children were and what their life story was.

She was a very proud graduate of Palo Duro High School and frequently started conversations with complete strangers about it. Though having no children of her own, Momma Don was the name she earned from the Palo Duro Don’s wrestling team. Nothing made her eyes shine more than these kids, “her kids” she called them. She was known to show up in the dark and follow the bus to its destination for the long day of matches. She would sit right in the middle of the team with snacks, cards, and words of loving encouragement. By the end of the day her voice would be gone from yelling, but her smile was a mile wide. She adored her Bell Avenue Church of Christ Family and attended every gathering possible. She knew everyone’s life story and prayed for them daily. Cheryl loved baseball and football with a passion. Her favorite teams other than the Palo Duro Dons, were the Texas Rangers and Indiana Hoosiers. She could tell you dates, locations, players and scores from decades ago. She got a kick out of friendly rivals and several of the men from Bell Avenue and proudly wore her newly purchased Hoosier scarf this year. Some of her most cherished friendships were from the very young and the very furry. Children were drawn to Cheryl and she to them. She loved her hugs and adored every single-color page or craft that was made for her and kept them all. Cheryl was also the very best pet momma to her beloved dog Paws and many cats, often bringing home Happy Meals for them to share when she had to be gone all day.

Cheryl was preceded in death by her husband Ronald Sterling Walton, her parents Mahlon and Jo Ann Gibson and older sister Barbara Lynn Gibson.

She is survived by her brothers, Richard Earl Gibson, Donald Joseph Gibson, and Randall Mahlon Gibson, all of Amarillo. She has countless nieces and nephews who loved her dearly and will miss their Aunt Cheryl Deeply.