Cheryl Joyce Petro

Cheryl, age 69, of Woodstock Georgia, peacefully passed away on February 12th, 2020. She was born on October 18, 1950 in Tulsa Oklahoma, to her proud parents Jennie Jo and Thomas Edison Strow, and her sister Carolyn; all of whom are now reunited in Heaven. Family was at her bedside. It was love at first sight for us over 50 years ago, when we met at a college dance in Annandale, in Northern Virginia, on Oct. 25 1968. After our wedding in Rockville, Maryland, she became a very attentive and loving mother to four healthy and beautiful children: -Christopher Michael Petro, now married to Tiffany Vetter -Timothy Thomas Petro, now married to Christin Harris -Wendy Marie Petro, and -Ashleigh Nicole Petro, now married to Austin Benedict. Cheryl was also a loving grandmother to Maximilian Peter Benedict, Elizabeth Nicole Benedict, Joy Josephine Benedict, and Abigail Petro. Cheryl took great pride in her Federal career in and around Washington D.C., where she was: -Administrative officer in the Dept. of Commerce, on Constitution Ave.; -Position Classification Specialist as a civilian with the U.S. Army at Fort Myer, in Arlington VA; -Personnel Management Specialist with the National Aeronautics and Space Admin. (NASA) headquarters, on Indepdence Ave.; -and earlier similar professional administrative positions in HUD, INS, Custom Service, FTC, SSA; -and her college summer jobs with the Office of the Treasurer of the U.S., in the Liberty Loan Building on 15th Street NW. Cheryl loved our family trips. Our first trip was to New Orleans, where her husband was born. Later, they traveled to Niagara Falls along with Toronto Canada. She especially enjoyed their several trips to Williamsburg, Virginia because she so loved the founding historical and architectural sites and visiting the Williamsburg Inn. Cheryl greatly enjoyed friends and relatives over the years visiting at our home in nearby Washington, D.C., where we lived for 40 years. She lived in Vienna, VA before we were married. Our first home together was in Falls Church VA. We later moved to Fort Foote, MD, Fairfax City and McLean, VA. When Cheryl retired from the Federal Service in 1996, we moved the family to the Atlanta, GA suburbs. She passed away in our home in Woodstock, GA as the snowfall ended and the spring weather was beginning to return. Cheryl had a very full life. She was devoted to our family and service to our nation. A life beautifully lived. Cheryl's heart was always full of love and selfless generosity to her family. As her husband, and knowing her mind for over 50 years, I do not know a single time where she did anything other than the right thing to do. Her soul has now gone to Heaven where she will be young, happy and healthy forever. Let us all celebrate her newfound eternal happiness. She will be very missed.