Cheryl Ann (Williams) Walter

MILTON - Cheryl Ann (Williams) Walter, 61, earned her angel wings on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Cheryl Ann was born in Fountain Springs, Pa at the Ashland State General Hospital on a snowy day March 5th, 1954, 1st child of Jack and Ruth (Ramberger) Williams. Her mother had to stay in the hospital for 5 days, and never forgave her for that! Baby Cheryl then went to Girardville, Pa so her mom could stay with Cheryl’s Grandparents for a while. She went home to live in Lykens, Pa. and wait for her brothers and sister to be born at the Lentz Hospital in Lykens. She moved to Milton when she was in the 4th grade at the age of 9. She attended Millward Elementary School on Center Street in Milton. She then moved on to the Milton Junior High School on Turbot Avenue, and eventually attended Milton Senior High School on Mahoning Street, graduating with the class of 1972. After graduation, Cheryl returned to the Ashland State General Hospital to attend the Ashland State General Hospital School of Nursing and graduated in1975 as an RN. On June 15th, 1975, Cheryl started her nursing career at the Evangelical Community Hospital. Prior to beginning a career as a nurse, she volunteered as a candy striper. She started on the Medical-Surgical floor, and after completion of the ICU/CCU course at Geisinger Medical Center, worked ICCU for 11 years. After completion of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Course in Harrisburg, with instructor Pat Comoss, she worked in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at the Evangelical Community Hospital. She was nominated for the Nightingale Award for the state of PA from Evan hospital as well as named a Spotlight Nurse. As a Spotlight Nurse she was featured on billboards along route 15 and at the Susquehanna Valley Mall as well as in the newspapers. She spoke for National Nurses’ Day at Geisinger Medical Center and Wyoming Valley Medical Center. She participated in the Clinical Ladder Program at the hospital and was certified in Cardiac Rehabilitation as a Board Certified Cardiovascular Nurse. Cheryl married Thomas Snyder in December of 1975 and was blessed with two children, Stephanie and Christopher. She was divorced in 1992 and married Allen Walter on 9/7/97. (So he wouldn’t forget the anniversary). She loved as her own, Al’s daughter Amy. Christopher married Heather Platt in 2002 and Stephanie married June Fisher in 2008. Amy married Darven Gebhart in 2010. She and Al were blessed with four grandchildren; Jacob, Mathew, Eli and Sara. Cheryl’s family was her greatest joy! She was able to be involved in many activities in her lifetime. She served in many capacities, because serving was a gift God gave her. She volunteered in various capacities as her children were involved in many activities such as Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts, Milton Swim Team, Soccer Mom, Field Hockey Mom, and as a Sunday School Teacher. She was president of the Milton Ambulance as a life member of the Fifth Ward Hose Company. She was the second female accepted in the fire company. She earned the Irvin Diehl award from the Fifth Ward Hose Company. She was also a member of the William Cameron Engine Company, Lewisburg, and taught Emergency Medical Technician Classes, seeing her students go on to serve their communities and save lives! She received the Ambulance Attendant of the Year in 2008. She volunteered in her community as an Emergency Medical Technician. Cheryl volunteered in different capacities as a member of the Susquehanna Emergency Health Services Council, as her father, Jack Williams had done. She served as an EMT evaluator/instructor for Harrisburg Area Community College, and state evaluator for the SEHSC. She earned the Jack Williams Award from the SEHSC. Cheryl was Nurse of the Year and traveled to Harrisburg to receive the award from then Governor Casey. She sang in the Pop’s Concert for the Milton Harvest Festival. She was an advisor for the Harvest Festival Princess Pageant. Cheryl volunteered at the Creation Festival as an RN/EMT. She became the first coordinator and helped found the Susquehanna Valley Critical Incident Stress Management Team. The team included 8 counties in central Pa and responded to critical incidents involving other emergency responders. In this capacity, she taught at the state level at the EMS seminars, took continuous training and was blessed with knowing the best volunteers in the world. She also incorporated the CISM team into the Evangelical Community Hospital. She helped found the new Evan Team, EVAN Cares. At the hospital, Cheryl taught CPR and Advanced Cardiac Life Support as well as classes on Healthy Hearts, Compassion Fatigue (as a Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator) and Death Notification. She was an instructor for the International Critical Incident Stress Management Corporation, Inc. for Peer Support and Group Crisis Interventions. She was a member, board member and then president of the Tri-State Society for the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) for the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and the National AACVPR, where she was a member of the national education committee. She loved her church family at the 1st Baptist Church in Milton, Pa. She served as Service Ministry Coordinator on church council for many years, taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and loved to serve as well as sing to her Lord and Savior, Jesus! Cheryl brought her love of the Lord to life by serving as a short term medical missionary to Honduras for two years, to Missouri at the Child Evangelism Fellowship, CEF, to Guatemala for three years, and to Nicaragua. She also served at Ground Hero after 9/11 in New York City as a crisis counselor. There is no greater blessing than to bring someone to the Lord and to bring a cup of cold water to someone in need. She is survived by her husband Allen Walter of Milton, daughter Stephanie and spouse, June of Exton PA, son Christopher, spouse Heather and grandchildren Jacob, Mathew, Eli, and Sara of Mechanicsburg PA, and daughter Amy and spouse Darven of Hanover PA. She is also survived by her siblings, John and spouse Karen, Pam and spouse Mark, Dale and spouse Vickie, Tom and spouse Allison as well as their mother, Ruth Williams. She will see them again and will be waiting at the gates of Heaven to welcome them to a much better place. She was preceded in death by her father, Jack Williams, nephew Tommy and her Grandparents but she will see them and all of you who “love the Lord” in Heaven. Life shouldn’t be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but, rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used-up, totally worn out, and loudly shouting, “Wow! What a ride! Thank You, Lord!” In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to MC Credit Union, 1 Hospital Drive, Lewisburg PA, 17837 (Cheryl Walter Memorial Fund) or to the First Baptist Church, 316 Golf Course Rd, Milton PA, 17847. The collected monies will be used to honor Cheryl’s memory through a charitable donation to her church and to set up a scholarship fund for the educational expenses of a future cardiac rehab nurse. A public viewing will be held 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the First Baptist Church, 316 Golf Course Road, Milton and again from 2:00p.m. – 3:00p.m., Sunday, October 25, 2015, followed by the funeral at 3:00p.m. with the Reverend Jamie Dries officiating. Arrangements are being handled by The Dale E. Ranck Funeral Home, 125 N. Front Street, Milton.