With sincere sympathies for all those who knew her and with equally sincere joy for her eternal gain, let it be known that on January 20th after a 6 year battle with Lewy body dementia, Cheryl Lynn Erikson gladly rode that Glory Bound Train, to be welcomed into the nail-scarred hands of the Savior she so loved and worshipped while surrounded by those departed family and friends who had also responded to the claim of Jesus Christ on their lives. Born in Oceanside, CA, to Leland and Monnie Faubion on January 23rd, 1952, this would have been her 69th birthday, and on Groundhog Day, February 2nd, she would have celebrated 36 years of marriage with her husband, Chuck.
Cheryl graduated from Katella High School in 1970, moved to Smart(s)ville in 1978, and then Grass Valley in 1980. She met Chuck while he was a professional gold dredger, and they were married in 1985. For the next 2½ years she helped construct their 2 story log home in the woods (which included living in a tent for 9 months). After 3 years studying American Sign Language at American River College, she volunteered to work at Rancho Sordo Mudo, a Christian home and school for deaf children in Guadalupe, Baja, Mexico, from August 20 to November 20, 1990, where she served as a girl’s dorm mother, learned Mexican cooking, and made several lifelong friends. In 1991 she worked with Chuck starting a home business, Duke of Pearl, providing exotic inlay materials to the guitar industry where she became known and loved in her public cosplay persona as “The Duchess of Pearl”. In march of 2007, she had the courage to take a solo trip by trans-Canadian train from Vancouver to Toronto and back, returning with stories of unexpected and dangerous adventures. Cheryl enjoyed going to guitar shows all over the U.S., but her greatest joys were traveling by train, being in her own home, worshipping with other believers, and befriending the elderly.
Please don’t cry or pray for Cheryl but let all mourning be for the sudden absence of her presence in our own lives, something deeply experienced also by Jesus Christ, who is “…a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…” (Isaiah 53:3), who wept along with those who loved Lazarus (John 11:35), and intimately comforts those of us who also grieve: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you” (John 14:18). So, shed no tears for Cheryl, but realize that Scripture says she won’t even be bothered with memories of this life: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17). She has no desire to return, for she’s now enjoying new eternal adventures in that realm where God himself “…shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). For Cheryl, death has been rendered stingless and the grave defeated (I Corinthians 15:55).
Cheryl is survived by her brother in law Steve Simko of Huntington Beach, nephews Eric Simko of Vancouver (WA) and Ryan Simko of Yorba Linda, and niece Julie Sorenson of Dana Point, as well as aunts, uncles, and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Monnie Faubion, stepmother Virginia Faubion, and older sister Diane Simko. Her husband and family sincerely thank all those who knew her for their love and kindnesses over the years, and their compassion now, and may every one of you experience God’s love, comfort, and power in your own lives just as Cheryl Erikson did in hers!
A memorial service will be planned once it’s safe again for everyone to travel and mingle.
Deepest thanks to Kristi, Brittany, and all the sweet hardworking caregivers who since 2015 have made Cheryl’s life at Mountain View Care Home as comfortable and safe as humanly possible, while she sometimes made yours correspondingly challenging (or at least never boring!). She loved you all, or eventually learned to love you, and may God bless each one for doing a constantly tough and stressful job that goes far beyond any pay scale! Your lasting reward will be in heaven.
