Cheryl Ann Gerzabek

Cheryl Ann Gerzabek was born Cheryl Ann Murray on March 9, 1952, to Bob and Shirley Murray in Tucson, Arizona. She passed on March 21st, 2023, in Port Orchard Washington following a 3-year battle with Cancer.

After a lovely childhood, Cheri was a highly decorated athlete. She lettered in Varsity Tennis all 4 years of HS. She had an undefeated season in 1969, 11 wins and 0 losses. Following her high school career, she went on to the University of Arizona, and received a degree in fine art.

Following her tenure at U of A, her career in the hospitality industry took her to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, then back to the Arizona Biltmore, Jenny Lake lodge in Wyoming, Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands; then to Massachusetts, back to Phoenix for a time, before ultimately settling in San Diego. On July 2nd, 1979, Cheri welcomed her son Christopher Andrew Gerzabek.

Cheri worked in Catering at Culinary Concepts. She remained there for her entire 25-year career. She began by making party décor, which she loved, and creating table settings. By the end of her career, Cheri had advanced to a sales position before retiring in 2019.

Cheri was a huge fan of all sports, especially tennis and baseball. She fostered Chris’s interest in sports from a young age. She was his “team mom” on both his childhood soccer and baseball teams. Cheri was an avid cheerleader at every game Chris played in. She loved to spend her time with Bailey watching Padres games, Phoenix Suns games, and every tennis tournament she could find. She was an avid artist and loved spending time at Laguna beach and Coronado beach in California.

After Chris married Megan Lynne Bentley in April of 2019, the family decided to move back to Megan’s home state of Washington. Cheri purchased a home in Port Orchard in 2020 and lived there with Chris and Megan until her passing.

She is survived by Chris, Megan and her family, her beloved Chihuahua Bailey, her ex-husband Manfred and his wife Sue Gerzabek, her brother Jeff Murray and his family, and her sister Mindy Dooling and her family. A celebration of life will be held in May.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made in Cheryl’s name to the American Cancer Society.