Cheryle Hiebert Ferda formerly of Deer Creek, Oklahoma, died Wednesday, August 8, 2012, at the Baptist Saint Anthony Hospice in Amarillo, Texas, at the age of 74 years.

Cheryle Hiebert Ferda was born on May 30, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to Eugene and Nadine (Zimmerman) Lawrence. She grew up in Los Angeles where she attended an all girls Catholic School and in the summer months she enjoyed spending time in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, at her grandparents' home. Following her graduation she moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, and furthered her education at Oklahoma State University receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations and Marketing. On July 10, 1970, she married Daniel Hiebert and they settled on a farm in Deer Creek, Oklahoma, and she began working for Dr. John Marks. In 1971 Cheryle and Daniel were blessed with a baby girl, Tracie. In 1979 she returned to college at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa and received an Associates Degree in Nursing. In 1982 she received a Bachelors Degree in Nursing while attending Wichita State University and in 1984 received her Masters Degree in Nursing also from Wichita State University. In 1981 she worked as a charge nurse for the Wakita Community Health Center and in 1982 she became a nursing instructor at Northern Oklahoma College. In 1986 she began serving as the director of nursing for Blackwell Regional Hospital and in 1990 she served as Safety Director and Director of Infection Control at the Ponca City Medical Center retiring in November of 2011. On May 18, 2006, Daniel preceded her in death and she continued to make Deer Creek her home. On December 19, 2007, she married Edward J. Ferda and they made their home in Blackwell. On November 2, 2010, he preceded her in death and she continued to make Blackwell her home until January 2012 when she moved to Guymon, Oklahoma. She was a member of the Deer Creek Mennonite Church and served on the M.C.C. Committee for the Oklahoma Mennonite Relief Sale for several years. She also served on the Grant County Fair Board, held membership in the Spring Creek Club, Oklahoma Nurses Association and the American Red Cross. She also served on the Kay County Health Board and was the 1978 Grant County Homemaker of the Year. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by one daughter, Tracie Smith and husband Eric of Texhoma, Oklahoma; four grandsons, Ethan, Tanner, Kyler, and Brody all of Texhoma, Oklahoma.

She was also preceded in death by her father, Eugene Lawrence; mother and step father, Nadine and Jim Brazda.

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 13th in the Roberts and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Blackwell with Rev. Larry Watson of the First Christian Church in Texhoma officiating. Burial will follow in the Bayard Cemetery in Deer Creek.

Casketbearers are Ethan Smith, Tanner Smith, Paul Kuehny, Paul Regier, Craig Regier, and Chuck Moyer.
Serving as honorary casketbearers will be Rudy Ferda and the Spring Creek Club.

A memorial has been established in her honor with BSA Hospice of Amarillo, Texas, in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631