William Doyle Cherry

William Doyle Cherry, of Beltsville, died peacefully Sunday, July 11, 2010, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, surrounded by his family. He was born Nov. 10, 1934, in Baltimore to James Cherry and Ella Florence Hartman Cherry. James Cherry had changed the family name from Wisniski to Cherry before Bill was born. Bill attended the following schools in Baltimore: Saint Mary's Star of the Sea, Baltimore Polytechnic and Calvert Hall. He was a graduate of Johns Hopkins University He served with the U.S. Army in the 14th Armored Cavalry on East-West German border during the Cold War. Bill was a 40 year employee of Westinghouse Electric Co. where he started as a technician and retired as a senior engineer in research and development. He held patents for radar devices, some of which are still being used in satellites, fighter jets and other aircraft, tanks and battleships. In retirement, he worked as a consultant for the U.S. Postal Service, overseeing the testing of new high-speed sorting equipment throughout the U.S. and writing a manual on ISO9001 procedures. He is survived by his beloved wife and son, Nancy Thrasher Cherry and Christopher James Thomas Cherry. He is also survived by one brother, Joseph Robert Cherry of Linthicum; several nieces and nephews and their families; and several cousins who remember him lovingly. He will also be remembered by his brother-in-law, Stephen Thrasher and wife, Joleen "Jo," of Jefferson. He was predeceased by his parents; two brothers, James Donald Cherry and Gerald Francis Cherry; and two nephews. Bill was a member of the Westinghouse Retirees Association, the 14th Armored Cavalry Alumnae Association, the Maryland Grape Growers Association and the Jefferson Ruritan Club where, with his wife, he headed the Jefferson History Project. His interests included astronomy and space exploration, the Braddock Heights to Jefferson trolley, business practices, politics, classic Chevrolets, 3-D photography, sailing, home remodeling, railroading, travel (particularly to Italy and France), electronics and wine-making. In recent years, he had found delight in his grapevines and in restoring a log cabin. His passing will be noted with relief by the crabs and oysters of the Chesapeake Bay. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, at Keeney and Basford, P.A., Funeral Home, 106 E. Church St., Frederick. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 15, in the Etchison Memorial Chapel of the funeral home. Interment will be in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403. Online condolences may be shared at KeeneyBasford.com