Sylvia Valerie Cherosky

Sylvia Valerie Cherosky passed away at the Collingswood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at 6:25pm on the 23rd of January, 2017. She succumbed to pneumonia after a long, arduous battle with dementia, which she fought with grace and dignity. While her departure brings us great sadness, we cannot help but celebrate the overwhelming fullness of her 92 years.

Born December 5, 1924 to Joseph and Mary Keys, Sylvia grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she eventually met and married the love of her life, Charles John Cherosky, in 1948. Together they raised three beautiful children — Charles J. Cherosky, Jr., Carol C. Mathieu, & Karen ‘Penny’ L. Harman. They subsequently retired to Florida, and finally relocated to Maryland in the late 1980’s.

After the death of her husband in 1990, Sylvia dedicated her time to traveling Europe, tracing the genealogy of her family, and caring for her grandchildren, to whom she relayed the heart-warming details of her predestined marriage and the old​-timey nature of her youth. Her black and white stories were told in-between games of Scrabble, cards, and the dogeared pages of countless paperbacks. She leaves behind an unwavering desire for romance and adventure, as well as those three beautiful children, 14 grandchildren, and innumerable great-grandchildren. She was, undoubtedly, surrounded by love.

We will remember her by her kindness, limitless affection, French toast, effortless winks, and perfectly coifed hair. She was a damn good whistler, too. We love you, good lookin'. Keep something cookin' for us up there.