John Henry Cherry

John Henry Cherry of Springtown, Texas, passed away Wednesday, July 11, 2018, after a long illness.  He was born October 10, 1936 in Cooper, Delta County, Texas to Willie Ruth Brem Cherry and James Rosser Cherry. John spent his early years growing up on a farm near Cooper, TX.  His father preceded him in death in 1943; his mother in 1950, requiring John, and his siblings to be sent to live with several different relatives.  /7 John started school at the age of 7, in a one room cabin for grades 1-8. John loved to learn, so his beloved Grandmother Julia Virginia Pierson Brem taught him the alphabet and reading from the Bible and the monthly Reader’s Digest. When not working in the field, he was always designing “electronic” type devices.  He made money for parts by collecting glass bottles along the road and selling them. His first design was a radio including a tall antenna.  It actually worked and he received radio stations from as far as Tennessee.  He joined the US Navy, 1969, serving 9 years.  During his time in Navy Reserves, he attended Arlington Stated College (now UTA) earning a bachelor degree in electrical engineering,  He specialized in special OCR readers; resulting in several registered patents.  Most notably, one for a hand held scanner used by merchants and a check reader used by banks.   He was previously married to Myrna Rae Kinzy, 1960; his second marriage was to Judith Ann Hardy, 1985 (d.1993).  His third marriage was to Debra June Jones in 1994.  While he loved designing, his most avid love, was music across all genre and genealogy.  Having become an orphan, he lost tract of his family on both sides.  In the 1980s a cousin tracked him down and he became reacquainted with both sides of his family.  Subsequently, he became an avid genealogist; resulting in a data base containing almost 50,000 Cherry names with related families.  His quarterly newsletter, Cherry Cousins’ Clearinghouse led to people from all over the world contacting him for help with their own research.  He was in the process of starting a series of books on the Cherry history.  Survivors:  John was also preceded in death by his brother Lyndol Eugene Cherry; sister Gracie Janice Cherry Milstead, niece Pam Milstead; son-in-law Bret Gentzer. He is survived by his wife Debra Cherry of 24 years, daughter Jennifer Gentzler; stepchildren John Hardy Cashion, wife Kari Grizzle; Charles Martin Cashion; wife Laura Honc, Gretchen Cashion Yurovsky, husband Serge. Grandchildren Austin Cashion, Riley Lynn Cashion, Gavin Walker Cashion, Lauren Anne Cashion, Brianna Michelle Cashion Internment:  Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery Memorials:  In lieu of flowers, pleases made donations to PTSD Foundation of America Camp Hope Houston.  (ptsdusa.org)