Cheri Leann Race

Mrs. Cheri Leann Race, age 70, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 30, 2025 in Craig, Colorado after a courageous battle with cancer that she faced for over two decades with unwavering dignity and grace.

Cheri was born on July 20, 1955 in Cañon City, Colorado to Arden and Thelma Teach. Raised in a close-knit family, she grew up surrounded by the values of love, strength, and compassion that would define her life. Throughout her years, Cheri embodied these qualities with quiet resilience and the generous spirit.

Cheri moved to the Pacific Northwest with her family in 1964 at the tender age of 9. Just outside of Portland, Oregon, Cheri planted her roots graduating high school, attending college and marrying the love of her life Carl Race on March 15, 1980 at Lake Merwins Campers Hideway.

Cheri shared her life with her devoted husband Carl and together they built a home filled with warmth and laughter. She was a loving mother to three daughters: Carla Barrett, Rachael Shotts, and Sarah Fredrickson. Her nurturing heart extended to her grandchildren – Cameron, Savanna, Robert, Gwen, Ethan, and Paige – each of whom brought her immense joy.

She is also remembered fondly by her sisters Debbie and Ardith. Cheri held dear the memory of her parents Arden and Thelma Teach; her brothers Alan, Sam, and Gary Teach; her sister Pam Teach and her nephew Joseph Teach.

Cheri’s life was rich with passions that reflected her vibrant personality. She found peace in nature through camping and fishing trips and delighted in the simple pleasures of baking and cooking for those she loved. Antique shopping was one of her favorite pastimes – she had an eye for treasures that told stories of the past. Her hands were rarely still; she enjoyed needlepoint and rock hounding as creative outlets that brought beauty into the world around her.

A lifelong reader with a deep love for animals, Cheri’s gentle soul touched many lives. Her strong faith guided her daily and provided her with a strength that was matched only by the kindness that she extended to others – always loving, always forgiving, never judgmental. Cheri will be remembered for her sense of humor that could brighten any room and for the quiet strength that carried her through even the most difficult times. She lived passionately, with kindness as her compass.

Cheri left behind a legacy of compassion that will continue to inspire all who knew her. May Cheri Leann Race’s memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved her.