Obituary: Cherrie Lee Osborne Blair

Cherrie Lee Osborne Blair, 91, of Williams, Ariz., died Sunday, June 17, 2012

Cherrie was born on May 31, 1921, in Globe, Ariz., to John and Mary Osborne. Cherrie attended High School at St. Joseph's Academy (now Sacred Heart) in Prescott Valley, Ariz. and graduated from Arizona State Teachers College (NAU). While attending ASTC she met and married David F. Blair (deceased May 24, 2003).

Cherrie has been prominent in the cattle ranching industry in Northern Arizona for 72 years. She owned and resided at Bar Heart Ranch in Valle, Ariz. since 1940. She helped raise quality Hereford cattle and the finest registered Quarter horses around. She was a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association.

She was more at home on a horse than anywhere else. An accomplished roper she was awarded the Clerence Buddington Kelland Trophy in 1940 for winning the Cowgirl Championship of Arizona in the intercollegiate rodeo in Tucson, Ariz. Cherrie and her favorite rope horse Lindy traveled by train from Texas to New York to perform roping exhibitions at Madison Square Garden World's Championship Rodeo from Oct. 9-27, 1940.

Cherrie was inducted into the NAU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 for Intercollegiate Rodeo (1938-1942). Cherrie had interests outside of ranching including showing horses competitively, playing golf and had a successful teaching career in Williams, Ariz. She was also instrumental in forming the Williams Mountaineers 4-H Club in Williams, Ariz.

Cherrie was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, David Frederick Blair. She is survived by her sister Billie Burke Osborne Wingfield, Dewey, Ariz., her daughter Cheri Lynn Martin (Dan) Williams, Ariz., granddaughters Pam Wise and Dallas Parent, and five great-grandchildren.

Private graveside services were held at Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery, Phoenix, Ariz. Arrangements were handled by Ganleys-Buckeye Funeral Home. A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, July 7. 2012 from 12-3 p.m. at 211 S. Pine St., Williams, Ariz.