Cherry George Steinmeier

Cherry George Steinmeier December 7, 1942 - December 27, 2022 Cherry Caryl George was born to Carl Casper George and Cleona Ethel Rea George on December 7th, 1942 in Norman, Oklahoma where her father was stationed as a Navy Instructor. Cherry had three siblings; Derek George (Somerset, Kentucky), Cyndi George Young (Blairsville, Georgia), and Alicia George Patterson (High Springs, Florida). She grew up in Springfield, Illinois. Her many interests included Girl Scouts and 4-H, where she entered numerous sewing and cooking projects as well as raising and showing Brown Swiss cows. She was active in her church and accepted the Lord at a young age. Cherry was an accomplished vocalist/soloist participating in a girl’s ensemble, The Singing Seven, at Springfield High School, as well as the Acapella choir. She also performed on the radio. During the summer following her junior year in high school, she participated in the AFS program where she spent 2 months in Germany. She graduated from Springfield High School in 1960 and attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois for 2 years where she again participated in an Acapella choir. Cherry attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University with a BA in 1964. In 1965, she moved to Treasure Island, Florida where she taught elementary school and was a social worker for the state of Florida. In 1976, Cherry relocated to Pasadena, California and enrolled in Rosemead School of Psychology, later to become one of the Graduate Programs at Biola University. In May of 1984, Cherry was awarded her PhyD in Psychology, and several years later she began teaching in the Graduate Department there. She taught in the Graduate Department for nearly 30 years, until retiring in August of 2018. Since moving to Pasadena, Cherry has been an active member of Pasadena Covenant Church (PCC). She was also a founding member of Salt Company (the College and Career group at PCC) where she had an active role in leadership. During this time she was mentored by Pastor John Bray, who helped her further develop her leadership skills. She was also a member of the choir where she met her future husband, James Steinmeier. Their dating relationship began in the summer of 1983 with a long motorcycle ride on James’ Gold Wing. Believe it or not, Cherry was a bit of a feminist in those days, and when they stopped for dinner James opened a restaurant door for her. She was not impressed and called him a male chauvinist pig! She has been happy to have him open doors for her ever since. James and Cherry were engaged in early 1985 and married at his parent’s house in Arcadia by Pastor John Bray and Pastor Norm Crider (a former associate pastor at PCC in the 60’s) on June 8, 1985. They were able to adopt their first daughter, Alethea Anne Steinmeier on May 25, 1989. They adopted their second daughter, Joy Ellen Steinmeier on February 18, 1995. Cherry loved to ride motorcycles (two up) and travel with her husband and children. The family was able to take their first major road trip in 1997. They drove almost 12,000 miles visiting 6 provinces and 25 states traveling all the way to Prince Edward Island, Canada. Cherry also loved to hike, camp and read books. She was involved with the girl’s Brownie’s and Girl Scouts Troops for many years, serving as troop leader for Joy’s Troop. She loved her children and almost all she did was for their wellbeing. She was a passionate homeschooler and instilled in her children a deep love for Christ and Christian values. Cherry was a committed Christian and deeply spiritual person, and has been active in the Member Care community for many years, teaching and counseling Missionaries both here and abroad. She also served on the Board of the Narramore Christian Foundation (an organization with a member care focus) until her passing. Cherry continued to care for and love her clients and the graduate students that she supervised right up until her passing. Cherry is survived by her husband, James Steinmeier, her two daughters, Alethea Steinmeier Waldron, son in law Ryan Sean Waldron, and Joy Ellen Steinmeier, her three siblings Derek George and wife Donna George, Cyndi George Young and husband Dale Young and Alicia George Patterson as well as her three grandchildren, Sean Michael Waldron(12), Kristopher Bryce Waldron(9), and Esme Faith Waldron(6). She will be sadly missed, but we know she is with Jesus in a better place with all the saints that have gone on before, and where she is experiencing joy unfathomable and without pain!