Cheryl Ann Querbach

Cheryl Ann Querbach, 72, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, passed away on February 10, 2021 surrounded by her loved ones. Cheryl was born on July 28, 1948 to Paul and Dolores Halstead in Jackson, Michigan. She graduated from Jackson High School in 1966, where she proudly played trombone in the marching band. Later that year, in 1966, she met the love of her life, Francis Querbach, at a gas station. Frank and Cheryl were married shortly after in August of 1967, and honeymooned at the World’s Fair in Montreal, Canada. They lived together in Jackson until 1968 when she followed Frank in his Naval career and moved to Waukegan, IL, Pensacola, FL, Kamiseya, Japan, Adak, Alaska, and then to his final duty station in Imperial Beach, CA, before relocating back to Michigan and planted roots in Benton Harbor. Throughout their travels together, they had four children, Melissa (Day), Stacey (DeMaio), Kyle and Paul. Cheryl dedicated her life to being a fantastic and wonderful mother. She could always be spotted in the stands watching her children at band and choir concerts, football games, baseball games, softball games, basketball games, wrestling matches, track meets, and car shows. She stayed up late into the night and early morning talking and listening to her children. She supported all of her family through their many hobbies, passions, heartaches and tragedies. She made it her mission to be supportive and caring and improve the lives of others, most especially her children. Cheryl excelled not only at raising her four children but countless other children in her more than 20 years as a daycare provider in her home. She helped raise an impressive 64 children in her home daycare called “Cheryl’s House.” Each of those children loved “Mommy Cheryl” dearly and were so blessed to have her in their lives. Cheryl retired from raising children and re-entered the workforce outside of her home when she joined Family Physicians of St. Joseph. She worked to help patients there for 7 years before switching careers and joining Smith-Dahmer Associates as an Accounting Specialist and “Jack of all Trades” for another 18 years before finally retiring in 2016. Cheryl was an artist at heart, though she didn’t think so. For many years, when she wasn’t filling her home with warmth and kindness, she could be found making and painting ceramic figures, and doing needlepoint. She was an avid young adult fiction reader who loved the novels from Twilight, Harry Potter, and The Mortal Instruments. She loved going to casinos to play slot machines and playing video games with her online friends from around the globe. She enjoyed traveling around the country to visit her children and grandchildren who moved away, and wished she could do it more often. She never shied away from a road trip. Cheryl lived a full life surrounded by people she cared about and loved. We will miss her greatly. Cheryl was predeceased by her parents, Paul and Dolores Halstead, her aunt and uncle Dick and Dessie Hartman, and her grandson Ian Tyler. She is survived by her husband, Frank Querbach, her brother Scott (Sandy) Halstead, and her children Melissa Day, Stacey (Daniel) DeMaio, Kyle (Paula) Querbach, Paul Querbach and her grandchildren, Sabrina and Gage Kurbis Tevin Tyler, Niquetta Fisher, Derrik Bench, Nate, Skye, and Mason Querbach.