Community activist Bone passes away at 72

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Posted on September 20, 2018.

By Thomas Sellers Jr.

Star Commentary

For more than a decade, I would randomly get a call from community leader and activist Cheryl Bone.

Once I picked up the phone at my desk, I knew an half hour to an hour would pass with Bone informing me about community events, local causes, upcoming charitable ventures and she squeezed in a few minutes of bragging about her family.

It was one of those family members I got to know over the years that called me recently to inform me her grandmother had passed away.

A part of me was happy to hear the voice of Cheryl’s granddaughter Kaylee, but the rest of my body sunk from the news of losing one of my best friends from the paper.

Bone became a foundation of my work life because she shared her family and love of charity with me. I had the privilege of covering Kaylee and Ashlee at Millington Central High School through Trojan athletes. And Ms. Cheryl would often update me about things going on across the river in Arkansas with Natalee.

Family was very important to Ms. Cheryl. But her grandchildren and children knew Mom had other important causes. Ms. Cheryl was a champion for the less fortunate, crusader for the weak, voice for the downtrodden and worker for God. Bone had the gift of gab, took full advantage of never meeting a stranger and she listened with her spiritual heart. To the right, in her obituary is a list of several of her causes.

Also you can read those she touched and had an impact in their lives. As for this reporter, Bone was a reliable source and pointed me in the right direction on several good stories.

But her lasting impact on me was after our third meeting. I just covered her food ministry work from Millington to Memphis. She came to thank me for the story.

“You love God,” she declared to me.

Before I could answer, “I can tell on how you wrote the story.”

It was then Ms. Cheryl gave me some advice that I still carry today. “Use this job as a ministry. You can do a lot of good from your seat. You can touch a lot of people. Do His will, and as long you do that He will bless you to do keep doing it.”

That was about 12 years ago. That statement has been validated through Kaylee and Ashlee, countless of Cheryl friends coming to The Star as part of their outreach and bonds formed from Northaven to Brighton.

Thank you Ms. Cheryl for that priceless advice. You will be missed but your love lives in those you champion.

Cheryl Lovin Bone, 72, of Millington, went to be with the Lord Saturday, August 25, 2018. She passed peacefully in her home of natural causes. She was born June 6, 1946 at Mount Vernon, Ill. She was currently serving as a clergy ambassador for the Memphis Police Department, also a former Shelby County Sheriff’s Reserve Officer and University of Tennessee Campus Officer.

Cheryl was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Michael Bone. Survivors include her two children, Scott and Tina Bone, Malinda Bone both of Batesville, Ark.; grandchildren Ashlee, Kaylee, and Natalee Bone; Dakota and Hunter Rife; Missy House, Nicholas Castleberry, and Nicole Castleberry. Cheryl was an ordained minister that received several citizenship awards including the Esther Award and Good Samaritan. She was a former teacher at Frayser Assembly of God Christian School and Librarian at Tipton-Rosemark Academy. She served countless years in various food ministries and community outreaches including Food Source, Angel Food Ministries, Team Max, Brian Callies Ministries, Church Developers Network, PCCNA, Project Child Safe, TDOT Yellow Dot Program, Convoy of Hope, and Mid-South Mission of Mercy. Cheryl was also a host family for the USA Olympic Baseball team and PTA President of Millington East Elementary. Visitation was held Thursday Sept. 13 with a service held Friday both at Munford Funeral Home Millington Chapel, located at 7450 Raleigh Millington, in Millington, Pastor Dan Henley officiated. Cheryl was laid to rest at Reeves Cemetery in Sage, Ark., Pastor David Insell officiated. Funeral pallbearers included, Paul Asbridge, Brandon Van Horn, John Cunningham, Brian Callies, Rev. Charles E. Matthews Sr., Jonathan Carter, Eric Crouch and Cody Kiestler. Graveside pallbearers included, Hunter Rife, Dakota Rife, Wesley Nesbitt, Paul Houck, David Schoonover, David Boutwell, B.B. Johnson and Cody Kiestler.

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