Cherish Denae Powers, 38, of Allegan died Wednesday, Jan. 1, at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids after a short battle with cancer (squamous cell carcinoma).
Cherish was born in Grand Rapids on Dec. 21, 1986, to Rachele Toliver and Melvin Stevenson. She was a member of the Pokagon Band of Pottawatomi Tribe, and she was passionate of her heritage. She was a bright, fun-loving woman.
Cherish married Dan Powers on Aug. 7, 2015.
She especially loved Halloween, and they would dress up as a family and go trick or treating. She would assert that the decorations and lights she saw, were like that holiday throwing up on everything.
Cherish was a devoted wife and mother to three children. She loved being a mother, she said it was the best job ever. Cherish also had a great love of batman and pickles and she bestowed that love on to her kids, they all loved to sit around and eat pickles all day long.
Cherish also had a huge love for movies, especially horror. If it was up to her, it would’ve been Halloween all year round. She loved the outdoors and the activities that came along with that, whether it was hunting, fishing or swimming in the pool like a mermaid, .
Cherish also loved her job at Briarwood Assisted Living in Allegan, where she was the activities director. She loved coming up with fun activities and games for her residents to participate in and enjoy. She was the life of any party and at work as well.
Cherish was proceeded in death by her brother, Jamey Steffens, in 2020, her grandfather Mac, grandpa Oral, grandma Pat, grandma Pauline and grandma Dee Dee.
She is survived by her husband Dan Powers, children Keaton, Danny Jr., and Arianna; mother Rachele (Jerry) Toliver, dad Melvin (Teresa) Stevenson, grandmas Helen Hillman and Shakira Haynes, sisters Tashia Hillman, Ta Neasha Weems, Corrine Prater, Amara Stevenson brothers Melvin Stevenson, Rumeal Stevenson, William Loonsfoot Jr., grandpa Ron Powers Sr., mother and father in-law, Ron and Pat Powers, sister in-law Amanda Powers (Nate Kleeves), as well as aunts, uncles, cousins’ nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at the Luella Collins Community Center at 419 126th Ave., Shelbyville, Friday, Jan. 10, from 1 to 2 p.m. with an hour visitation beforehand.
