Cheryl Denise Gannon, aged 62, died peacefully on July 18, 2013 at her home in Lighthouse Point, Florida after a long battle with cancer. Cher was born on January 31, 1951 in Cleveland Ohio, daughter of Joseph and Ester Congress. Cher thoroughly enjoyed drawing, painting and the arts. She graduated from Heights High after being the captain of the Volleyball team and member of the school band playing the flute. She continued to enjoy the arts throughout her life. Cher graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and a masters in Fine Art in painting with a minor in Art History. She regularly made the Dean's list and was a sister of Sigma Delta Tau sorority. In 1974, Cher married the love of her life Marc Jay Gannon. They lived in Chicago while he was completing his education. She worked in Chicago where she became the Registrar of Chicago Kent College of Law. While he was doing his residency in the Navy in Virginia, she taught at Paul D. Camp College in Franklin, Virginia and created methods courses in art for teachers and educators. They then located to Boca Raton where Cher was the office manager of their practice, and over 25 years ago she created a rehabilitation program for visually challenged patients, which became the focus of her career. Cher was internationally recognized for her contributions in Low Vision Therapy. Her greatest love was assisting her patients to gain enough function to read, write, see faces of loved ones and enhance the quality of their lives. She did this with compassion, the patience of a saint, and the love of people, for thousands of patients throughout her 25 year career in low vision rehabilitation. In addition, she also raised their two beautiful children Jennifer Danielle Gannon and Sean Joshua Gannon. She was active in the community volunteering and becoming a member of the PTA for over a decade. Cher was also a member of her local temple, Beth El, and participated and volunteered in many of their youth programs and activities. Cher is survived by her husband Marc Gannon; children, Jennifer, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Josh, of Boca Raton; father, Joseph Congress, of Reno, Nevada; sisters, Marsha Reynolds, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana and Susie Rakes, of New Port Richey, Florida; grand-daughter, Aliyah Gannon, and thousands of her beloved patients and friends.

Donations can be made in her name to The American Foundation for Visual Rehabilitation at 1540 E. Commercial Blvd. Suite 102 Ft. Lauderdale, Fl 33334, a foundation she founded to assist those who are visually impaired. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sunsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=cheryl-gannon&pid=166015489&fhid=5915#