Precious Memories

Cheryl Louise Rowlette

Cheryl Rowlette was born in Denver, Colorado on July 23, 1947. She was one of twelve children born to Jewel Smith and Benjamin Rowlette. She grew up in the Five Points Neighborhood in the large lively and loving family and attended Gilpin Elementary, Cole Middle School graduating from Manual High School in 1965.

From Cheryl's first union with Robert P. Smith her daughter, Shannon Smith was born in 1968 and from her second union with Charles Thomas her son, Reuben Rowlette-Thomas was born in 1987. She cherished her children and was always praying for their safety and well-being.

Cheryl in the early 1980s moved to San Francisco, California to pursue her dreams and worked for many years as a secretary in the events department at Macy's Department store. After years of living in San Francisco and Oakland, California with steady work and also creating a little side business baking pies and pursuing her joy of singing jazz, she moved her and her son Reuben to Los Angeles, California where she would eventually go back to school and earn her Bachelor of Art degree in Special Education.

After the death of her mother in 2010, Cheryl moved back to Denver and purchased the family home at 2924 California street and continued working as a special education teacher in the Denver Public school system, as well as working at Clayton Early Learning until her retirement from teaching.

Unfortunately, in 2017 Cheryl was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and like with everything in her life she faced the diagnosis with courage and a steadfast faith in God believing in his purpose for her life. Despite her condition, she continued enjoying the activities that brought her joy, working part time with children in the schools, going out with friends, attending music festivals, singing and dancing, which was her true love. Cheryl was a strong resilient loving mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and friend who all will miss her dearly. To know Cheryl was to love her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Jewel and Benjamin Rowlette; five brothers, Leonard Dixon, Vernon Rowlette, Michael Rowlette, Benjamin Rowlette, Tony Rowlette; five sisters, Sandraleen Rowlette, DeVonne Piedra, Ruth Wilburn, Elaine Hall and Gwendolyn Morrow.

And God shall wipe all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying neither shall there be anymore pain, for the former things are passed away;

- Revelations 21:4

Cheryl Louise Rowlette departed this life to the embrace of the Lord on February 18, 2026, in Aurora, Colorado. Those left cherish her memory and mourn her loss include two children, her daughter, Shannon Smith and son, Reuben (Coralia del Cielo Jimenez) Rowlette; one grandchild, Sydney Morenike Odion-Smith. Cheryl is survived by two sisters, Patricia Holliday and Jewel Spikes and a host of nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.