On September 16th at around 7 p.m., our family said goodbye to someone who meant the world to us. My sister-in-law, Cherrie Massey Maddox, passed away after a long and difficult battle with serious health complications. She was diagnosed with cancer and Cushing’s disease, later went into kidney failure, and spent the past four months in the ICU. Despite her strength and the care she received, Cherrie continued to decline until she was called home last night.

Cherrie was a truly sweet and loving soul—a caregiver at heart who always put others before herself. She gave so much of her life to caring for others, and it’s hard to imagine a world without her kindness and love.

Losing her so suddenly has left our family devastated, and while we grieve, we are also facing overwhelming expenses that we cannot manage alone.

The cost of cremation is $1,500 even after a discount, and the funeral home requires payment within three days. If payment is delayed, we will be charged $50 for every additional day her body is held. On top of that, there is no will, which means the family must hire an attorney to transfer her home into her husband’s or daughter’s name. Medical bills and other unexpected costs are also adding up quickly.

Breakdown of expenses:

$1,500 – cremation (not including urn)

$50/day – funeral home fee if delayed

$3,000+ – legal and attorney fees

$1,000+ – medical and other expenses

We are asking for help to raise the funds needed so that Cherrie can be laid to rest with dignity and her husband and daughter along with the rest of our family can focus on grieving instead of worrying about how to pay for everything. Any donation, no matter the amount, will make a difference.

If you are unable to donate, we would be so grateful if you could share this fundraiser with others. Thank you for your love, kindness, prayers and support during this difficult time.