Cheryl Adrian (Sowle) Bilby of Paris || Obituary
Cheryl Adrian (Sowle) Bilby, a woman of great strength and unwavering faith in God, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at the age of 75. She was born in Woodsfield, Ohio on April 30, 1948, to Russell and Phyllis Sowle, who both served in the Marine Corps. At the age of five, Cheryl moved to Paris. There she attended Paris High School and Paris Junior College before marrying Ross Bilby on Jan. 27, 1968. Two days after their honeymoon, Ross and Cheryl relocated to Northwest Missouri, where they spent 53 years before returning to Paris.
Cheryl’s family and faith were her greatest joys in life. She was a proud Paris Rodeo Queen in 1965 and later competed for Miss Rodeo Texas, showcasing her passion and talent for the Western lifestyle. Cheryl had a heart full of love for her husband Ross, who survives her, as well as her two sons, Chad (wife Brooke Bilby) and Todd, her two grandchildren, Morgan and Cole, and her brother Dwight (wife Billy Sue). She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, always putting the needs of others before her own. Her kind and loving spirit touched the lives of everyone she met, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Cheryl worked in the financial and banking services industry for over 35 years before retiring from Nodaway Valley Bank as the Executive Vice President. She was a dedicated community servant, serving on the North Andrew School Board, Daughters of the American Revolution, Northwest Missouri Financial Women, Missouri State President of the National Association of Bank Women, Chairman of the Board for the St. Joseph Branch of the National MS Society, and the Missouri Western Foundation Board.
A visitation for Cheryl will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ, located at 3535 Lamar Ave in Paris. The funeral service will be held at the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, from 10:30 a.m .to 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Cheryl’s life and legacy.
For those wishing to make donations, the family has requested that those donations be made to the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ in Paris or to the East Hills Church of Christ in Saint Joseph, MO, on behalf of Cheryl. Donations can be made to the following: online or by mail to:
· Lamar Avenue Church of Christ
Mail: 3535 Lamar Ave, Paris, TX 75460
Online: https://my.
· East Hills Church of Christ
Mail: 3912 Penn St, St Joseph, MO 64507
Cheryl’s legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched, and she will be forever remembered as a shining example of what it means to live a life of love and devotion to God, family, and country.
Services have been entrusted to Roden-Pryor Funeral Home, 1929 Bonham Street, Paris, Texas.
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