Lt. Colonel Bill Cherry

Lieutenant Colonel Billy “Bill” O’Neal Cherry, age 87, of Warner Robins, Georgia, passed away on Friday, August 20, 2021, at his residence with his wife and children by his side. Born in Vienna, Georgia, on Thanksgiving Day 1933 to parents Walter Eugene and Lillian Mariphosie Cherry, he grew up in Selma, Alabama. He married Shirley Stoker in Gulfport, Mississippi, on November 12, 1961. An Eagle Scout, he graduated from Albert G. Parrish High School in Selma, went on to receive a BS degree in Economics from the University of Alabama, and later attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

A 23-year veteran of the United States Air Force, Bill completed pilot training in Georgia and Oklahoma; he was a Command Pilot, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Operations Officer, and Logistics Officer, and participated in flight tests for the C-130, C-141, and F-15 aircrafts. He served assignments in Ashiya, Japan, Keesler AFB (MS), Sewart AFB (TN), Ching Chuan Kang AB (Taiwan), Little Rock AFB (AR), Langley AFB (VA), and Robins AFB (GA). In 1969, he was selected as an air crew member to pilot the plane for Bob Hope’s USO Christmas Tour throughout bases in Thailand and Vietnam. Included in the tour were the Ding-A-Lings, the Golddiggers, Johnny Bench, and Miss World. Upon retiring from the Air Force, he started Cherry Homes Inc. and constructed custom homes in Houston County for fifteen years with his wife working by his side full time as his administrator and decorator.

Bill was an active member of Central Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and was a member of the Adult IV Sunday School Class. As the church transitioned from the Watson Blvd. site to Lake Joy Road, he served as Construction Coordinator for all construction on its new campus including the pavilion, the church’s main building, ball fields, Russell Parkway/Lake Joy Road circular brick entrance sign, and Family Life Center and continued as Project Manager for recent renovations to the Worship Center, parking lots, third floor main building, roof, steeple, and foyer. He said his favorite memories were working with volunteers who helped him with every endeavor, and was especially appreciative of JoAnn Dover, church administrator, for being his right hand with all construction projects since day one. Bill’s hobbies included woodworking, making furniture and projects for friends and family, reading, playing golf, and cheering for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Bill’s uniform number for any sport he ever played was two.

Bill is survived by his devoted wife of fifty-nine years, Shirley Mae Stoker Cherry of Warner Robins; daughter, Charlotte Cherry Yelken (Doug) of Peachtree City, GA; son, Timothy Thomas Cherry (Mandy) of Forsyth, GA; grandchildren, Alexa Lynn Yelken, Savannah Karoline Yelken, and Max O’Neal Yelken; great grandchild, Angel Christine Humphrey; and brother, Bobby Eugene Cherry (Ernestine) of Biloxi, MS. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at Central Baptist Church, Warner Robins, with Rev. Stephen Byrd and Dr. Owen Bozeman officiating. The family will greet friends in the church foyer from 1:00 p.m. until the service. The church doors on the circular drive lead to the foyer. There will be no graveside. For friends and family unable to attend, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

Memorial donations may be made to Central Baptist Church Building Fund, 1120 Lake Joy Road, Warner Robins, GA, 31088.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.