Cheryl Gill Khoury

On Saturday afternoon, February 6, Cheryl Khoury passed away at her home in Fort Valley. She was 67 years old. Born in Butler, Georgia, to the late James Perry Gill and Mildred "Mickey" Smith Gill, Cheryl was a graduate of Warner Robins High School. She received her bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia, where she and her husband of 45 years, James, were college sweethearts from the time they met in 1966. She and James were married on May 2, 1971, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warner Robins. Cheryl later received a master's degree in Education from Fort Valley State University.

A long-time educator, Cheryl was well-loved and respected by both her colleagues and students. She previously taught at Fort Valley Middle School and was currently employed at Byron Middle School where she taught Science in the Gifted Program. In addition to her teaching, Cheryl spent over 20 years working alongside her husband in the family's long-standing clothing business in downtown Fort Valley, Khoury's Department Store. Cheryl loved to travel with both family and friends. She and James enjoyed over 30 years of vacationing at Fernandina Beach, Florida, with a special group of friends. In past years they also enjoyed snow-skiing in Colorado and more recently she was blessed to make wonderful memories on a European trip with her mom and her two daughters, Natalie and Andrea, and then to China as part of a Peach Festival delegation with James and the girls. She enjoyed a lifelong love of reading and at one time was an avid tennis player. She was of the Catholic faith and a member of St. Juliana Catholic Church. Additionally, she was a former member of the Fort Valley Woman's Club and enjoyed painting with the Jailhouse Alley Art Association. Cheryl loved life, and as a breast cancer survivor, she appreciated every minute of it. Without a doubt, she loved nothing more in this world than being a wife to James, a mother to her two daughters, and "Gigi" to her 16 month old grandson, Khoury. As active as she was, these were at the center of her heart.

Left to treasure her memory are her husband, James E. Khoury, Fort Valley; two daughters, Natalie Marie Khoury Ridgewell (Ross) and their son, Khoury David, Gainesville, FL; Andrea Nicole Khoury, Berrien Springs, MI; mother, Mildred "Mickey" Gill, Bonaire; siblings, James Michael Gill, Bonaire; David Gill (Kim), Newnan; Paul Gill (Lisa), Atlanta; Linda Parrish (Tom), St. Augustine, FL; as well as a host of extended family and legions of beloved friends.

A Rosary Service will be held at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, February 10, in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home and visitation with the family will immediately follow until 8:00pm. A Funeral Mass celebrating Cheryl's life will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, February 11, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warner Robins. At a later date, committal services will be held in Oaklawn Cemetery in Fort Valley and will be private.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to United In Pink, 1515 Bass Road, Suite H, Macon, Georgia 31210.



Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088