CHERYL MAE VANDER SCHAAF Age 71, passed away on April 25, 2019, at her home in Longwood at Oakmont, Verona, PA. The family is planning a memorial service with information to come. Cheryl was born on December 15, 1947, at Hull, Iowa, the daughter of Charles Kroese Jr. and LaVonne Mae (Bolks) Kroese her father's birthday fell on the same day. She graduated from Boyden-Hull High School in Hull, Iowa, and attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. Later in life, Cheryl attained her Masters Degree at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Cheryl's first move was to Boston where she took a job at Millipore Corporation (now Millipore Sigma) as a secretary. Over the years, she was promoted again and again, eventually becoming Regional Human Resource Manager. Cheryl's profound intelligence and adventurous spirit lead her to working and living all over the world: Boston, San Francisco, France, South America, and eventually Hong Kong where she was Director of Human Resources for York International. She later moved to Malaysia to retire, where she volunteered and provided care for patients with Parkinson's Disease. Eventually, she moved to Pittsburgh, PA, where she lived near her sister, Gail Kroese Bieser. To sum up Cheryl in an obituary is an impossible task. Her life and her fearless, compassionate spirit took her all over the world where she shared her experiences and friends with others. Her curiosity and kindness were without measure. Her love of life, travel, food, poetry, literature and culture deepened her and those she knew and loved. She shared. She was selfless. She was politically active and worked hard to see Barack Obama become the first African American President of the U.S. She came from humble beginnings and flourished into a life full of love, openness and gratitude. She believed that empathy and kindness were stronger than fear. She believed hope was stronger than anger. And she made everyone she knew and touched better for having known her. She was a true original. And her life and works will go on to add more kindness and possibility into the world. Cheryl is survived by her two sisters, Gail Bieser, of Pittsburgh, PA, and Mary and her husband Leon Kanengieter, of Sioux Falls, SD; her brother and his wife, Carl and Mary Kroese of St. Louis, MO; seven nieces and nephews: Troy Bieser of Atlanta, GA; Carrie (Regis) Evanov of Pittsburgh, PA; Justin Kanengieter, Brach (Michelle) Kanengieter, and Chad (Haley) Kanengieter, all of Sioux Falls, SD; Taylor and Trevor Kroese of St. Louis, MO; five great-nieces and great-nephews (Sadie, Ella, Alex, Faith and Zenna) whom she shared with constantly. She also had a large family of friends throughout the world whom she loved dearly, and whom loved her deeply in return. Memorials will be directed to Parkinson's Foundation (www.parkinson.org/ways-to-give). Send condolences post-gazette.com/gb