Julia Cheryl Flores

Our Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Sister and Friend:

Julia "Cheryl" passed away peacefully and surrounded by her loved ones Friday, April 11th, 2025, at home. She was born August 17th, 1959, in Chicago, to Salvatore & Joanann LaBarbera.

Cheryl was the heart of our home and family. As the mother of five children, Joe, Carrie, Anthony, John and Marissa (and mother-in-law to Jason, Stephanie & Alivia) she was the "one you could always call and who'd love you unconditionally". As a grandmother to Joey, Michael, Jordan, Dylan, Jacob, Jason, Anthony, Isaiah, Vincent and Alexis and Great-Grandmother she was the "one who'd serve you ice cream for breakfast because it's nothing but frozen cereal". And as the partner of Don Coday, sister of Kim Kenny and long-time best friend of Sandy Collins (and Aunt to all their children) she was the rock and constant that would always be there.

Her home was happy, filled with laughter and... well, stories! She will be dearly missed and never not thought of.

Before she passed, she told her family "never give up" and that's how she lived her life.

SHARED POEM

One night a woman had a dream. She dreamed she was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from her life. For each scene, she noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to her, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of her life flashed before her, she looked back at the footprints in the sand. She noticed that many times along the path of her life there was only one set of footprints. She also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in her life.

This really bothered her and she questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you would see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."