Cheryl Lynn Vaden

Cheryl Lynn Preciado Vaden, 58, left this world on January 29, 2019, surrounded by her loving family. A celebration of life is being held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 2019 at Northwest Family Fellowship in Great Falls, Montana. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Cheryl was born on June 7, 1960 in Encino, California. She developed a great love for riding horses and longed for the day she might have her own. As a teen, she was a devoted Rainbow Girl known as "Dreamer" and remained active within the organization into early adulthood. In the spring of 1981, Cheryl's dream of being a mom came true when she and her then husband welcomed their one and only daughter, Elizabeth. Cheryl eventually became a single mother whose love and devotion to her daughter would continue to be the driving force throughout her life. Cheryl drove school buses in Los Angeles - as did multiple family members - while attending Van Nuys School of Business to achieve her certification in payroll accounting. She went on to work for WEA Corp., the publisher and distributor of Warner Records, until moving to Great Falls in 1993. Cheryl loved playing cards, dice, and board games. She spent many hours organizing Trivial Pursuit tournaments at work, and winning them. During football season, she passionately rooted for the San Francisco 49ers and taught her daughter to do the same. Other hobbies included fishing, camping, bowling, baking, crafting, and she was a crochet queen. She was preceded in death by her brother, Mike Jr., and many pets, including her beloved miniature dachshund, Brittany. Cheryl will be forever missed by her loving daughter, Beth (Cory) McKinney; grandsons, Orion and Gabriel McKinney; parents, Mike and Jo Ann Preciado; sister, Kim (Joe) Visokey; niece and nephew, Susan and Michael Visokey; nephew Armand (Tiffani) Moore; great nephews, Davyan and Thanyr Moore; multiple cousins; numerous friends; and her adoring dogs, Falkor and Nala.