Cherri Ann (Meece) Overlin

Cherri Overlin, 74, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2026, following a courageous two-year journey with cancer.

Cherri was a woman of creativity, humor, strong opinions, and an enormous appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. She found joy in nature, especially the birds and rabbits that visited her surroundings, and she passed that love of animals and the natural world on to her daughters.

A talented seamstress and crafter, Cherri created everything from handmade Halloween costumes to treasured Christmas decorations. Her creativity filled her home, and many of those handmade treasures continue to be cherished by her family.

She expressed love in countless ways, particularly through the traditions she created. Her recipes, holiday celebrations, and family gatherings became memories her daughters will carry forward. Some recipes have been faithfully recreated; others, especially her ham salad, remain a work in progress.

Cherri loved the Beatles, Christmas cards, autumn leaves, and her beloved dog, Molli Mae, who held a very special place in her heart. She had a memorable laugh, a distinctive sense of humor, and a personality that will live on in the three daughters who inherited so much of her spirit.

Cherri is survived by her husband of 56 years, Lynn Edward Overlin; her three daughters, Buffi (Matt) Gentry, Wendi Boulware, and Cori (Jacques Fomera) Overlin; her older sister, Jeanine (Marchis) Hunter; six grandchildren, Trystan (Jessica) Overlin, Baylee (Chris Medley) Boulware, Hunter Lambert (Zache Landers), Fynn (Emily) Cummings, Jocelyn (Peyton Wood) Fomera, and Madden Overlin; and four great-grandchildren, with a fifth on the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dannie and Sarah (Young) Meece, and her siblings, Alan Meece and Cindy (Meece) Jones.

Her legacy is found not only in the things she made or the traditions she established, but in the people she loved and the countless ways her influence continues through them. She will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever a part of the lives she touched.

A Celebration of Life
In keeping with Cherri’s unconditional love of hot dogs and her appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, family and friends are invited to gather for a celebration of her life at Scovill Park in Decatur, Illinois, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

There will be hot dogs, shared memories, laughter, and an opportunity to celebrate Cherri in a way she would have loved.

In Her Memory
If you would like to honor Cherri, keep your hummingbird or bird feeder filled. Plant a flower, visit the ducks and geese at Dreamland Pond in Fairview Park, or simply stop to admire the changing fall foliage. In those small moments of appreciation for the world around us, her spirit lives on.

One last note. Mr. Rogers said “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people that are helping.” Thank you, Amanda Nave, for being the helper our Mom needed.