Cherie C. DeYoung

Cherene Collette DeYoung was born to William Joyce and Mildred (Faust) Wildman on July 14, 1950, in Bertha, Minnesota. It was a stormy summer night, and the electricity was off so the delivery was assisted with the aid of flashlights. She was known as "Cherie" all her life. She lived her first five years on a farm in Browerville, Minnesota until her father's job change necessitated a move to Buffalo, Minnesota. She attended all her school years in Buffalo, graduating with the class of 1968. After graduation, she attended St. College State in St. Cloud, Minnesota earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Secretarial Administration. She always knew she wanted to work in an office environment because she played "office" as a young girl and helped her father with his weekly bookkeeping during her teen years.

While a student at St. Cloud State, she was involved in Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, and it was through the ministry of this student-led campus organization that she became a follower of Jesus Christ.

It was also the place where she met her husband, Roger DeYoung. They were both leaders in the IVCF chapter at college and enjoyed small group bible studies, conferences and retreats. After graduation from college in 1972, they began dating until they were married on October 2, 1976, at Bethel Seminary chapel in St. Paul, Minnesota. They purchased their first home in St. Paul Park, Minnesota.

Her first job after graduation was working in the area office of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship on the University of Minnesota campus. Later she held an executive corporate secretarial administration position for the Farm Credit Banks of St. Paul and its Board of Directors for the 7 Farm Credit District.

She left the working world in 1979 when their first child, a daughter, Jodi, was born; Darren was born in 1981. During the child rearing years, Cherie worked part time in the Farm Credit System and Lutheran Brotherhood, now known as Thrivent, until 2001 when she entered the full-time work force and re-joined the Farm Credit System. She chose to retire in 2012 from AgStar Financial Services in North Branch, Minnesota where they lived at the time.

Because of their attraction to Minnesota's North Shore, Roger and Cherie purchased a small, rambler second home in Silver Bay, Minnesota in 2004 and used it as an investment and a get-away weekend retreat for themselves. For twenty years they used it as a blessing for many others who needed rest and refreshment and loved the scenic beauty of the North Shore.

Sewing was a passion throughout her life. In high school she sewed all her own clothes, her wedding dress, shirts for Roger, even a suit and winter wool coats, learning from her mother and many years as a 4-H leader. It was a dream to learn how to quilt after retirement. She took a few classes and learned by experience and the help of others who were more experienced and knowledgeable.

She also enjoyed playing the violin and began as a child on an instrument made by her grandfather Faust from the wood on his farm in Todd County. She played with the St. Croix Valley Orchestra for 26 years until Covid ended their performing together. After Covid, she retired from the orchestra but continued to take lessons until July 2023, the day before she experienced an aortic aneurysm. Medical restrictions for lifting her arms and the fatigue and low energy resulting from that life-altering event prevented her from picking up her violin again.

Cherie has been active in the Covenant denomination for over 50 years, most recently Catalyst Covenant Church, a church plant in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. In 2014, Cherie and Roger made a decision to leave their home in North Branch and downsize to one level living in Hugo, Minnesota.

She is predeceased by both her parents and her sister, Connie, and brother-in-law, Ben Lindell. In March 2025 she was diagnosed with colon cancer and fought courageously, noting her inspiration was her husband and her two kids and four awesome grandkids, she held tightly to her faith, and remained positive until the end. She knew she would be victorious.

She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, Roger, of 49 years; daughter, Jodi and her husband, Ben Moore, their daughters, Elaina and Allie of Golden, Colorado; also her son, Darren and his wife, Amy and their two sons, Colin and Clayton of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, She also leaves behind a sister, Cindy Haugland (John) of Litchfield, Minnesota; along with a host of family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Roseville Covenant Church, 200 University Avenue East, Saint, Paul, Minnesota. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Private interment at Pease Cemetery, Pease, Minnesota. Memorials are preferred to Catalyst Covenant Church of White Bear Lake, 2293 Orchard Lane, White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110.