Cherrie Dee Cool (Bennett)

Cherrie Dee Cool (Bennett), affectionately known as Twinks to most of her friends and family, passed away at home on Saturday, February 24, 2024, after a short but valiant fight with cancer. 

She was born on December 8, 1961, in Brewster, Washington, to Carl D. and Sharon L Bennett (Jackson).  She attended Bridgeport Schools and graduated in 1980.  In high school, she was a Varsity Basketball and Volleyball player, Cheerleader, and Homecoming Queen.  She developed a love of horses and cattle working on her grandpa’s ranch in Washington Creek near Chelan and the family cattle and wheat ranch on Pearl Hill, N.E. of Bridgeport.  She served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1982 to 1988.  She attended Wenatchee Valley College and Spokane Community College and earned her AAS in Agriculture in 1985.  She then attended Washington State University graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a minor in Animal Science and Agriculture Economics. 

She met the love of her life in 1981 while working at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan, spending the next 42 years with him. She married Rod Cool in June of 1987.  They were blessed with a son, Tucker, in 1991 and a daughter, Sammi Jo, in 1993.  After the birth of her daughter, Cherrie set aside her career in the livestock industry to become a full-time mom.  She poured her heart and soul into it, volunteering in their classrooms at MOE in Chelan and with 4-H and FFA projects.  She was Jr. Rodeo mom, Soccer Mom, 4-H mom, FFA mom to her kids, and many others.  She fixed breakfast for fair kids at the NCW and Chelan County Fairs for 14 years and was affectionately known as “Momma Cherrie” to all the kids who stopped by the camper.  She was an Ag Teacher’s wife for 36 years, which meant she chaperoned trips to State and National Convention, she coached teams, went on project visits, weighed pigs, judged speeches, and all the other things that come with that job. She was proud of her children for all they accomplished, especially when both of them were elected to serve as Washington State FFA Presidents. 

She is survived by her husband Rod of Chelan, son Tucker and his wife Haley, grandson Waylon and granddaughter Bryndle of Davenport, daughter Sammi Jo Sims and her husband Clyde, grandson Cleo and granddaughters Murphie and Ryette of Ellensburg, her mother Sharon Hammons of Pearl Hill,  her sister Cindy Huey (Steve) of Brewster,  sister Shannon DuClose (Keefer) of Wilbur, brother Terry Bennett (Lori) of Marysville, brother-in-law and sister-law Aaron and Carolyn Cool of Stevens Point, WI, mother- in-law Helen Cool of Chelan and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her father, stepfather, and brother, Gary. 

Donations can be made to the Washington FFA Foundation State Officer Travel Fund in her name. If you have any thoughts and memories for the family, please leave them at www.prechtrose.com. Services are under the direction of Precht Rose Chapel of Chelan.