Residents ’ Review
May 2021
Volume 34 , Issue 5
Citizens Memorial Healthcare Facility is an affiliate of CMH , Bolivar , Mo ., 417-326-6000 Facility Location : 1218 W . Locust St ., Bolivar , MO 65613 , 417-326-7648
C h e r y l I r e t o n R e s i d e n t o f t h e M o n t h
Cheryl Ireton was born Oct . 2 , 1959 , in Springfield , Missouri to John and Margaret Belew . Cheryl ’ s mother worked in housekeeping at St . John ’ s hospital in Springfield and her father was a mechanic and a truck driver . Cheryl was the youngest of four siblings , Nancy , Junior , Jean & Gary . Junior is her only living sibling .
The family moved to Des Moines , Iowa when she was young . Cheryl attended grade school through the 6 th grade in Des Moines . They moved back to Springfield where she attended Cherokee Junior High , then graduated from Kickapoo High School . She also studied business at Phillips Junior College for a year and a half . The grade school that she attended in Des Moines was over 100 years old and had no heat or air .
The year after she moved to Springfield , she went back to see her friends in Des Moines and also wanted to pick up a drawing of horses she had made that was hanging on a school wall . When she got there , the school was gone and she found out it had been torn down directly after she moved . She jokingly said that she always felt she was the reason it was torn down .
Later , while attending Kickapoo High School , Cheryl earned spending money by cleaning her cousin ’ s semi-truck . When she came to work on the truck one day a handsome guy , named Jodie Whitener , caught her eye as he walked across the parking lot . Her cousin ’ s truck was nowhere to be found so she called him . He directed her to the truck , but before cleaning it , she decided to head home , apply some make-up and fix her hair in case she would see Jodie again . When she returned , Jodie and her cousin were together talking about her . Shortly after , Jodie grabbed a water hose and sprayed her down . He ended up asking her out that day and a year later , on March 10 , 1978 , she married him the month before her high school graduation . The couple were blessed with two wonderful sons , Bobby and Jimmy . Unfortunately , their marriage ended in divorce twelve years later .
Several years later she met the love of her life , Nolan Ireton . She needed a date to her company ’ s Christmas party and was set up on a blind date with Nolan through her friends . He was a part-time policeman and was called to work before the party . He stopped by Cheryl ’ s house to let her know that he wasn ’ t able to make it to their blind date . He apologized and asked her if he could take her out another evening and she said , “ Well as long as it isn ’ t another blind date .” On one of their many dates , he picked her up and she said she was giddy as they drove down the road . When he stopped at the stop sign , he put the car in park , they looked at each other and he then turned his head and looked out the window . While looking out the window he said , “ Will you marry me ?” She giggled and said , “ Well of course I will .” They married on April 14 , 2000 , five months after they met . Sadly , Nolan passed away in September of 2019 after 19 years of a wonderful marriage .
Throughout the years she worked for different trucking companies as a dispatcher including CTI , O & S and IWX . She was also an over the road truck driver for three years for IWX . When she wasn ’ t working , she enjoyed raising her boys , helping people in need , sewing , crocheting , horseback riding and traveling to NASCAR races with her husband . She enjoys spending time spoiling her three grandkids , Aaron , Zachery and Kaden and spending time with her son Bobby and his wife , Melody . Her son Jimmy , sadly passed away a few years ago from diabetes .
Cheryl joined our CMHCF family in February 2021 , and when asked what she liksabout living here she said , “ I get good care here and the people are wonderful to me .” Congratulations , Cheryl on being chosen as our resident of the month .
Are you a caring individual who would like to assist in caring for the elderly ? Citizens Memorial Healthcare Facility has opportunities in its volunteer and nursing program . For more information call Jeff Miller , administrator , at 417-326-7648 .