Cheryl Drumheller

On September 14, 2026, Cheryl Lee Drumheller left this earthly life to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 81 years. The cause of death was result of a prolonged illness. She was comforted by her husband of 62 years.

Cheryl Drumheller was born in Pottstown in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, June 20, 1945. She was the middle child and the only daughter of Pearl Thelma (Nyce) and Warden Louis Bechtel, Sr. Cheryl was born on her older brother, Warden Jr.'s, fifth birthday. 

Cheryl's Pennsylvania career was that of a private secretary for Honeywell Inc. Industrial Valley Bank and a Christian newsletter group.

When Cheryl was a fifteen-year-old sophomore at Pottstown Senior High School, she met and fell in love with Ronald E. Drumheller: a seventeen-year-old senior with a 1959 Plymouth car! After dating for five years, Ronald and Cheryl married on July 10, 1965 in Cheryl's church - Zion's UCC in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. They returned from their honeymoon to move into their newly built home on their Boyertown, Pennsylvania land.

Five years later, their first daughter, Ronda Renee (Drumheller) Packard was born. Twenty-two months later, Cherie Ann (Drumheller) Davis arrived with the help of her father who delivered her in a Reading, Pennsylvania hospital. 

Upon moving the family to Buellton, California when Cheryl was 40 years old, she decided to change occupations. Cheryl enjoyed her years of working in a florist shop, a plant nursery, and an events catering company in the Santa Ynez Valley area.

Twelve years later, Ron's computer company moved them to Ramona, California. This is where Cheryl bought her first horse, Destello, a gentle four-year-old Peruvian Paso. Cheryl enjoyed helping three young girls ride her horse in the horse show's English, Western, and barrel racing classes at the Country Estates Western Center.

As retirement age approached, Cheryl and Ron found the perfect place to build their dream home in Tierra Linda Ranch in Kerrville, Texas. This home offered a place for their three horses and new puppy, Shayla, as well as abundant wildlife to enjoy. A favorite hobby of hers was baking and sharing her many creations with others. In her younger years, Cheryl even made tiered wedding cakes for friends. Another sheer joy was spending time gardening in her yard or small greenhouse. Her gardening love stretched beyond her own yard to designing and installing the cactus garden for the Tierra Linda Volunteer Fire Station and the cactus garden at the Tierra Linda Ranch's clubhouse. She was an active member of the Tierra Linda Ranch Garden Club and the Kerr County Cactus & Succulent society. Each Christmas also found Cheryl making cedar wreaths to decorate and give to friends.

Her idea of relaxing was to go on long horseback rides or a horse-drawn cart or wagon ride with her husband. Equally relaxing were their trips to the Caribbean Islands and the Panama Canal.

In 2005, Cheryl was placed with her nine-year-old mentee, Dustyn L. McCoy, at Tally Elementary School in Kerrville, Texas. Years later, even though Dustyn's family moved to San Antonio, Cheryl continued the "Big Sister/Brother Association" relationship; she considered Dustyn as part of her family.

"This Place is for the Birds" signs in her house reflected Cheryl's real love for all birds. She had an extensive collection of birdhouses. Breeding and raising small finches, softball birds, and small hook bill birds brought joy into Cheryl's life each day. She wanted her birds to live a happy life in her care and was rewarded to hear their singing, as well as seeing their marriage ritual dances and their babies. 

Cheryl is preceded in death by her parents, Pearl Thelma (Nyce) and Warden Louis Bechtel, Sr. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Ron Drumheller. She is also survived by her two daughters, Ronda Renee (Drumheller) Packard and Cherie Ann (Drumheller) Davis, as well as their spouses Steven Packard and Allen Davis. Cheryl is also survived by her brother, Warden L. Bechtel, and his wife Mary Ann, as well as her younger brother Douglas A. Bechtel. She is also survived by six grandchildren and her nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be sent to the Tierra Linda Volunteer Fire Department, located at 406 Oak Valley in Kerrville, Texas, in her honor. Both Cheryl and her husband were volunteers in support of the fire department for over twenty years.

The family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the individuals involved in her care in recent years, including Dr. Jon Chancellor, Dr. Thomas Noonan, Dr. Andrew Wong, their close friends at Tierra Linda Ranch, and the wonderful staff at New Century Hospice of Kerrville.

Details concerning her Celebration of Life will be announced at a future date. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Kerrville Funeral Home.