Baton Rouge, LA - Cheryl Lynn Clarke, talented artist, caring teacher and beloved friend and kin passed away in Baton Rouge on June 26 at the age of 79.

Cheryl was born in Memphis to loving parents Bonnie and Gene Clarke. After moving to Baton Rouge in 1956 the family returned often to enjoy holidays with their Tennessee family. Cheryl cherished the memories of those times with a multi-generational houseful from her cousins to her grandparents that she once recalled in a charming article for the Advocate. She loved the reunions with her cousins in later years, getting together in both Tennessee and New Mexico.

A graduate of Lee High School in Baton Rouge, Cheryl went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Art Education and a Master's degree in Fine Arts at L.S.U. She became a beloved and dedicated teacher and retired from West Baton Rouge Schools having served as Talented Art Teacher at Port Allen High, Port Allen Middle School, Brusley Elementary and Brusley Middle School.

Cheryl loved life and shared her humor, spirit and joie-de-vivre with everyone around her. She made life brighter and her novel perspectives, curiosity and sense of adventure were a source of joy to her many friends. She especially loved painting, animals and spending time in Grand Isle. She was brave.

She is survived by her mother Bonnie Clarke; sister Christine Simmons; brother Mark Clarke and wife Lynn; her cousins Michele Barton, Duane Duffy, Glenn Duffy, Becky Waldrop, Carl Welch, and Patsy Welch; sisters-in-law Becky Clarke and Stella De Sa Rego; nieces Deanna Simmons, Katie Kogler and Sarah De Sa Rego; nephews Mike Clarke and Paulo De Sa Rego; former spouse James Major and a close circle of devoted friends.Her dear friends Sheila Soniat and Van Wade Day cared for her with loving devotion during her illness.

She is preceded in death by her father Gene Clarke and brother Jimmy Clarke.

A celebration of life will be planned for the future.

Cheryl will always be remembered with love and a smile and so many good memories of shared times together--the finest proof of a life well-lived.