Cherry Gayle Martin (Luna) - Class Of 1974
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Cherry Gayle Martin Luna July 11, 1955 - September 14, 2016
Cherry Martin Luna of Longview, Texas, died Wednesday, September 14, in Longview, Texas, after a brief illness. She was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 11, 1955, to Paul E. Martin and Betty Lou Crawford Martin. As a small child she lived in Waco, Texas; Cambridge, Massachusetts and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before settling in Houston, Texas, where she grew up. Cherry graduated from Westchester High School in 1974 and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University in 1978. After graduation from Baylor, Cherry moved to Dallas where she began a career in employee benefits. In 1986 Cherry married Larry Luna and they had one son, Ryan Alexander, born in 1989.
In 1996 the family moved to Longview, Texas, where Cherry developed an award-winning business providing employee benefits to companies throughout east Texas. She was a top performer for Colonial Life and Accident for several years.
Cherry was a loyal friend and stayed in touch with most of the friends she made through the years. She was creative and had an unusually great talent for planning special events and gifts for those she loved. Her family was of utmost importance to Cherry, and she spent many hours visiting and vacationing with them.
Cherry received Jesus Christ as her Savior at age 8, and in recent years her life was made rich with God's Word, Christian music and sharing with others His love. Her office opened each week with a Bible study and prayer. During her illness she was asked what Jesus meant to her and she replied, "He's my whole life." She was a member of Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview.
Her illness was sudden and a shock to all who knew her. During this time she never complained, pitied herself or said an unkind word to any who attended her. She had nothing but praise for her doctors and the outstanding nurses who cared for her at Longview Regional Medical Center. She truly handled her illness with grace.
Cherry is survived by her son, Ryan Luna, his wife Genesis, and her three grandchildren, Marguerite Luna, William Luna and one to be born in March, all of Waco. She is also survived by her parents, Paul and Betty Lou Martin of Montgomery, Texas; her brother Paul Alexander Martin and wife Patty, of Colleyville; her sister MaryLou Brieger and husband Duane, of Shavano Park; by nieces Tiffany Kalloor and husband Ken, Kristen Martin, all of Dallas, and Kelsey Martin, of New York City; by nephews Paul Dorton and wife Whitney, of San Antonio, and Andrew Martin, of Colleyville; great niece Evelyn Dorton and great nephew Alexander Dorton, both of San Antonio.
A visitation will be held in Longview at Rader Funeral Home on Friday, September 16, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Services will be held in Conroe, Texas, on Saturday, September 17, with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and the service at 2:00 p.m., at West Conroe Baptist Church. The graveside service will follow at Forest Park Cemetery in the Woodlands. Pallbearers will be Duane Brieger, Paul Dorton, Ernie Fletcher, Ken Kalloor, Andrew Martin, John Parsons and Paul Pressler. Memorial remembrances may be made to the Gideons International or the Jesus Film Project of Campus Crusade for Christ.
A memorial guestbook may be signed at www.shmfh.com Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home Willis 936-890-0454
Published in Houston Chronicle on Sep. 16, 2016.
BIRTH
Norfolk, Norfolk City, Virginia, USA
DEATH
14 September 2016 (aged 61) Longview, Gregg County, Texas
BURIAL
Garden Park Cemetery Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas, USA
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