Mary Charlene “Cherie” Durkin

Mary Charlene “Cherie” Durkin, 72, recently of Blue Springs, MO, passed away unexpectedly in her home on February, 10, 2020. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 4313 S.W. State Route 7, Blue Springs, MO 64014, on Thursday, February 20, at 10am. Visitation for family and friends will be immediately preceding mass at 9am with Recitation of the rosary at 9:30 am.  Interment will be done privately at a later date.

Cherie was born August 30, 1947, in Kansas City, MO, the third daughter to Ralph S. Durkin and Mary Mildred Smith. Cherie was a graduate of St. Louis Elementary, 1961, and Bishop Hogan High School, 1965. She obtained her R.N. degree from Penn Valley College in 1974, a B.S. in Social Psychology from Park University, 1990, and a M.S. in Psychology from Avila University, 1993.

In her early career, Cherie worked as a nurse in hospitals throughout the Kansas City area, but her passion lay in the years that she spent at the Kansas City VA Medical Center providing counseling for veterans focused on suicide prevention. She was an avid reader, enjoyed completing puzzles and loved spending time with her family, especially her grandnieces and nephews.

Cherie was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Mary, sister, Kathleen (Durkin) Cole, sister Cecilia Durkin, and nephew, Nicholas Yount. Cherie is survived by two sisters: Julie Pigg-Callahan (Richard), Mary Anne Yount (Jerry); and a brother, Ralph Durkin (Toni); ten nieces and nephews and many grandnieces and nephews, who will always miss her.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Kansas City VA Medical Center or The Soldiers Project.

Mass will be celebrated at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 4313 S.W. State Route 7, Blue Springs, MO 64014, on Thursday, February 20, at 10am. Visitation for family and friends will be immediately preceding mass at 9am. Interment will be done privately at a later date.