Mrs. Cheryl Edith Ghosh (“Cheri”) passed away on December 7, 2012 at age 52 due to breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver. She is survived by her husband Dipankar Ghosh (“Dipu”) age 56, son Debjyoti Kumar Ghosh (“Jyoti”) age 20, daughters Dipanjali Rani Ghosh (“Anjali”) age 17 and Chandralekha Rani Ghosh (“Chandra”) age 15.

She is also survived by her mother Helga Price, brother Kenneth (Tricia) Price, sister Deborah (Russell) Kenitzer, nieces Jennifer (Nathan) Barber, Rebecca Kenitzer, nephews Justin (Jessica) Price and Joshua Kenitzer. She was preceded in death by her father Kenneth Price and brother Steven Price.

Cheryl Ghosh (nee Price) was born August 8, 1960 in Germantown, Wisconsin where she had her schooling. She graduated from Washington High in 1978. There she was awarded the National Honor Society Scholarship and the Schoesow Scholarship. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (UWM), and graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. While working full-time, she continued her education at UWM part-time to earn a Master of Business Administration degree in 1988.

She married Dipu on October 22, 1989. Jyoti was born on June 30, 1992, Anjali on June 23, 1995 and Chandra on November 21, 1997. Due to Dipu’s job changes, she moved from Milwaukee to Chicago, then Richmond, Virginia, then Columbia, Kentucky, and finally to Irvine, California in the year 2000.

Cheri had a very big heart and this showed in both her professional work and family life. She chose to be an educator so she could help others. From 1983 to 1988, she worked in the Milwaukee Public School system as a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL). After moving to Chicago, she worked for a couple of years as a Marketing Assistant at AMCO Engineering Company, but decided to return to teaching when the family moved to Richmond. After the children were born she suspended her career so she could devote her full energies to their needs. Only when all three children were in school did she go back to teaching ESL.

Cheri had a fascination for other lands and peoples. Teaching ESL exposed her to immigrant students from many countries and cultures. She would delight in sampling exotic foods prepared by her many students and listening to their stories even as she tried to immerse them in American culture and language. Her love of the world took her to several countries – India, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Peru, Mexico and Canada. Usually what attracted her was the cultural or historical significance of the destination.

Even during her two year battle with cancer, she put the needs of others before her own. Besides her children, she also looked after Dipu’s 82 year old mother Namita Ghosh who lives with the family. We will all miss her ever present smile, keen empathy and warmth towards all family, friend or stranger.

Her funeral will be on Saturday, December 15 at 1:00 pm at the O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills, California. Memorial Reception at 3 pm, Hilton DoubleTree Hotel, 90 Pacifica, Irvine, California.