Obituary of Mary Cheryl Albrecht

Mary Cheryl (Cheri) born December 28, 1946, in Richmond, Indiana, daughter of Horton A. and Gloria M. Bane; died September 20, 2024 in Oneonta, NY. She graduated from Richmond High School, and received a bachelor’s degree from Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana in 1968. She taught special education for one year, and then a year at Head Start. In March 14, 1970, Fred Albrecht and Cheri were married. Following marriage, Cheri moved from teaching to social work. She worked for North Penn Home and Center Services, in Towanda, Pennsylvania, working with the elderly. While working full time, she traveled to Scranton, Pennsylvania evenings to get a master’s degree in Public Administration. In late 1978, she became Executive Director of Turning Point in Marion Ohio. That year, Turning Point became the third domestic violence shelter in the state. In the early eighties, she was Executive Director of the Women’s Resource Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. During those years, WRC also opened a domestic violence shelter. In 1985, she became executive director of Opportunities for Otsego, and stayed there for 19 and a half years. In 1992, with much community help, OFO was able to construct a brand new facility at 3 West Broadway. In the early 2000s, after some strong opposition, including a death threat, a homeless shelter became a reality. Cheri is survived by her husband, Fred; son and daughter in law John and Cathy, daughter Cheri Lynn, granddaughter Ciara and her husband Chris, grandson Jacob and granddaughter Cheyanne; three sisters, Helen, Jan and Susie, brother John, aunts, uncle, nieces, nephews and cousins. Cheri and Fred enjoyed traveling. Her favorite place was the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, in particular, Burleigh Falls. She and Fred, plus family and friends houseboated through that area 8 different times between 1983 and 2010. Other years, they rented a cottage on Clear Lake. Cheri has donated her body to Upstate Medical Center for research. A memorial service will be held at the Otego United Methodist Church Saturday, October 5 at 11:00 am, with calling hours at the church beginning at 10:00 am. Her wishes are that memorial gifts be given to Opportunities for Otsego, Oneonta YMCA, United Way of Otsego and Delaware Counties, EDD Foundation, or Women’s Resource Center, Scranton, PA. .