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William Odell Cherry was born in Tolar, Hood County, Texas, January 8, 1905. He graduated from Tolar High School, where he was on the Mile Relay Team that set a state record. After he graduated from high school he came to Crosby County to help his father farm. He walked behind a team of mules for a few days and decided he didn´t want to do that all his life. He had an uncle who worked for the Santa Fe Railroad who agreed to help him find a way to go to college. He attended Tarleton State College in Stephenville, Texas, received his Bachelors Degree from West Texas State College in Canyon, Texas and his Master´s Degree from Texas Technological College in Lubbock, Texas.
He married Mary Edith Childress in Bellevue, Texas June 19, 1928. They had five children, Mary Leatrice Peckinpaugh, Lera Dell Logan, Patricia Sue Brown, Linda Jane Blansitt, and Atwood Childress Cherry. He was a dear and gentle, but firm father. His best discipline was to simply threaten to use the razor strap. It is not known if it was ever used for spanking, but he made it clear it was a possibility. It was important to him that his children strive to achieve their best in everything they did.
In their later years, he was dedicated to caring for Mrs. Cherry, who was a victim of Alzheimer´s for many years. This probably contributed to his death at the age of seventy-nine. He also helped care for his mother, Annie Cherry, who lived to be one hundred and two years of age and out-lived him by three years.
He served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher, among other positions, in the First Baptist Church. Even though his membership was with the Baptists, he had a great respect for all other denominations. He felt everyone, even his children, had a right to their own beliefs.
His dedication to the school came not only as an employee but, also, as an employer. He was very diligent when searching for employees to work with students and fellow teachers. His goal to have the best school possible became evident in his wish to have the schools in Estacado, Farmer, and Robertson consolidate with Lorenzo to have the right to a free and public education. The fact that he was the superintendent of Lorenzo I.S.D. for seventeen years was evidence that most people agreed with him. He was very careful not to allow himself to be put into a position of having to defend his reputation in the community.
In communities where he lived, he wore many hats. He was depended on to administer first aid. Many people would come to him at the school to get him to remove objects from their eye, splinters, doctored skinned knees and elbows. He removed a big piece of a broomstick that had broken and splintered into a young lady´s arm. That was almost a surgical procedure. Many students and other people of the community came to him for advice and counsel.
During World War II while living in Bovina, Texas, he was not allowed to volunteer for military service because he only had vision in one eye, due to an accident while a teenager. He wrote to the government several times trying to convince them to accept him, but they refused. He was appointed Civil Defense Chief for the city instead. These letters were found in his mementos after his death. Other civic interests included the Lion´s Club, Masonic Lodge, Jaycees (serving as an Exhausted Rooster since his age didn´t allow him to be a full member), Lorenzo Cemetery Association, Senior Citizens, and many other groups and organizations through the years.
He served on the Lorenzo City Council. While living at Bovina, he was a candidate for county judge of Parmer County. His interest in politics was not confined to the city and county. He was very active in supporting state and national candidates. He knew many important people in state politics personally (Senator Lyndon Johnson, Governor Preston Smith, Speaker Sam Rayburn, just to name a few).
Mr. Cherry loved his family, church, school, community, state, and nation. He has contributed greatly to the preservation of the history of the Lorenzo area for its citizens.
Submitted by Pat Cherry BrownFamily Information from Crosby County History Book
LORENZO (Special) — Services for W. Odell Cherry, 79, of Lorenzo are pending with Carter-Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.
He died at 9:53 p.m. Monday in St. Mary´s Hospital after a brief illness.
He was born in Hood County. He married Edith Childress June 19, 1928, in Bellville. He taught at several area schools and was superintendent of schools at McAdoo and Bovina and Lorenzo. He was superintendent at Lorenzo for 18 years retiring in 1967. The Lorenzo school auditorium was named the W.O. Cherry Auditorium in his honor. While he was in Bovina he helped incorporate the city and served as Bovina´s first mayor. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, a Shriner and a member of the Lorenzo Masonic Lodge.
He was a member of the Lorenzo City Council, the Lorenzo Lions Club and a charter member of the Lorenzo Senior Citizens Club. He was a member of the Lorenzo Cemetery Assn. He was a member and a deacon of the Lorenzo First Baptist Church. He moved to Lorenzo in the fall of 1925.
Survivors include his wife; his mother, Annie Cherry of Lorenzo; a son, Major Atwood of Barstow, Calif.; four daughters, Mary Peckinpaugh of Roswell, N.M., Lera Logan of Ralls, Patricia Brown of Lorenzo, and Linda Blansitt of Austin; two brothers, Mell D. of Lorenzo and Herman G. of LaJunta, Colo.; four sisters, Inez Brian and Johnnie Eldredge both of Crosbyton; Sarah Jane Kidwell of Lorenzo and Jessie B. McDougal of Locksburg, Ark.; 15 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Published in Lubbock Avalanche Journal, 1984
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
Services for Edith Cherry, 82, of Lorenzo were held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 15, 1989, in Lorenzo First Baptist Church, with Rev. Jerry Golden, pastor, and Travis Boyd, minister of the Lorenzo Church of Christ, officiating.
Burial was in Lorenzo Cemetery under direction of Carter-Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.
Mrs. Cherry died at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 13, 1989 in Ralls Nursing Home after a lengthy illness.
She was born Oct. 23, 1906 in Vashti, Texas. She married William Odell Cherry June 19, 1928 in Bellevue, Texas. He preceded her in death June 25, 1984. She was a member of the Lorenzo First Baptist Church, where she formerly served as the Organist. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a graduate of West Texas State University and obtained her masters degree from Texas Tech. She taught school for 30 years in Bovina and Lorenzo. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and another Teaching Sorority.
She moved to McAdoo in 1928 and in 1936 she moved to Bovina and then moved to Lorenzo in 1949.
Survivors include a son, Atwood of Newport News, VA; four daughters, Mary Peckinpaugh of Roswell, N.M., Lera Logan of Ralls, Patricia Brown of Lorenzo and Linda Blansitt of Austin; two brothers, Roy Childress of Houston; 15 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Jerry Robertson, Max Joiner, Bobby Joe Jennings, Bobby Mariar, Robert Lockwood, and Hershel McMillan.
The family suggests memorials be sent to the Alzheimer´s Research Control in care of Dr. J. Thomas Hutton, 3601 4th St., Lubbock, Texas 79430.
Published in Crosby County News & Crosbyton Review, May 18, 1989
Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum
transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
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