Cheryll Lynn (Moilanen) Odendahl

Cheryll Lynn Odendahl (Moilanen) of Harrison Township, Michigan, passed away December 25, 2021.  She was 69. She is survived by her husband, Richard Odendahl. She was the first child of Walter and Pauline (Leinonen) Moilanen, both deceased. Cheryll's surviving siblings are Paul Moilanen (married to Mary Ann Pascua) and Kathy Ann Moilanen (married to Edward Vuylsteke). She was loved by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and countless friends.

Growing up in Warren, Michigan, Cheryll went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Business from Oakland University and a Masters Degree in Business from Central Michigan University. But she didn't need her business degree to find a good deal/sale--especially on shoes--and did so wherever she went!

Cheryll worked for 34 years in various administrative positions at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, taking pleasure in using her intense organizational skills. She retired in 2006.

She met Rich at work in 1985 and they were married in 1993. She and Rich loved to travel. They have visited 149 countries and territories during their time together including all of the world's continents, even climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and taking her parents to beloved Finland.  After Rich retired in 2011, adventures have focused on many trips on their Ranger Tug(boat) “Roam” to places including all of the Great Lakes, Alaska, Florida, The Bahamas and Cuba. Trip reports can be found at http://odendahls.com/

She died peacefully while napping at home after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in March. ALS is also sometimes called “Lou Gehrig's Disease”, while younger people know it as what afflicted Stephen Hawking. Her diagnosis was something she wanted to keep private and we respected that. We are all thankful that she did not have a prolonged battle with this debilitating disease as so many others experience.  

With the current COVID-19 situation, there are no immediate plans for a memorial.

If you wish, donations in Cheryll’s memory can be made to the two organizations that have been so helpful this past year:

ALS of Michigan https://alsofmichigan.org

The ALS Association https://www.als.org

Please share a memory, thought, or prayer with the family here on Cheryll's Tribute Wall.

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