Cheryl June Bond McIntire of Brooksville, Florida, formerly of Keithsburg, Illinois, passed away Saturday, March 29, 2025. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the United Methodist Church in New Boston, with refreshments served after.
Cheryl was born on October 28, 1944, in Muscatine, Iowa, to Richard and Sina Bond. She was raised in New Boston, Illinois, later moving to Keithsburg, where she lived most of her life raising a family and making a life for herself.
She married Charles “Bill” Reeder on August 6, 1966, until his passing on October 23, 1981. She then married Rex McIntire on December 31, 1986.
She helped at her family restaurant as a girl, helping and looking after her younger sibling. Then when she moved to Keithsburg she worked at Cannon Bronze. She owned and operated several businesses including Cheryl’s Dolls, Keithsburg Video, Second time around children’s resale, and New 2 U resale shop. She was proud to be a 50-year member of the Eastern Star and first Christian Church, Keithsburg. She loved dolls all her life, she enjoyed making and painting them, talking to them as if each had their own personality. One of her favorite pastimes was finding old beat-up toys, cleaning them for hours, and making them new again for another child to love.
She enjoyed her family, spending time at family gatherings and bragging about her kids’ and grandkids’ accomplishments. She never showed up to a family gathering without pineapple upside-down cake and orange fluff.
She was an avid Elvis fan. She often joked about how she could have married Elvis, all he had to do was ask. Some of her nightly phone calls to her girls included Elvis in the conversation. She was a great historian about New Boston and Keithsburg, keeping track of generations of family members. She would often walk down memory lane with her girls telling stories of people and old buildings once booming with businesses. A short time ago she would say things were simpler. She will be greatly missed for her beautiful big smile, big backslapping hugs, and just being a very kind Mother and friend to so many.
She is survived by her husband, Rex; children, Cherri Henderson, Gaynor (Neil) Nylin, Gillian (Rick) Tharp, and Shawn (Jeff) Gilmour; nine grandkids; 11 great grandkids; siblings, Melvin (Shirly) Bond, Vicki (Don) Collins, and Ricky (Dee) Bond; and several nieces and nephews.
She is proceeded in death by her parents, Richard and Sina Bond; stepson, Daryl McIntire; great grandson, Tucker Sharp; and sister, Debbie Murphy.