BORN:  Feb. 9, 1946, Newton,Iowa;  DIED: July 25, 2023, Anchorage, Alaska

ACTIVITIES:  Jr. Cabinet Member, Sr. Cabinet Member, Tri-Hi-Y Secretary, Attendance Office Worker, National Honor Society

Cherlynne (Cheri) Miles Dahmann—born 2/9/1946 to Morris J (Jim) Miles Sr. and Uella Mae Oldham in Newton, Iowa, passed from this life of covid pneumonia on Tuesday 7/25/2023 at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska.

Early in her life, the family moved to Tyler, Texas, where she graduated in the John Tyler High School class of '64 and was an Apache Belle at Tyler Junior College. She later attended the University of Texas with studies in languages French, Spanish, Latin, and German with ambitions of being a translator.

Always an adventurous soul, Cheri would go on to work for Robinhood Bryn in the recording studio. Robin managed to talk Cheri and her younger sister Jackie into dancing as "Go-Go" girls on a float in the Rose parade while his band "Robinhood and His Merrymen" played.

In 1968, Cheri was blessed with a beautiful daughter, Lara, whom she loved dearly; she spent many years as a devoted mother.

Cheri began work for Exxon in Tyler as an admin and worked her way into pipeline and survey drafting with no formal training. The only female in a group of 6 men—a challenge in those days—she had responsibilities mainly in the Carthage oil fields of deep East Texas. In 1984 Exxon transferred Cheri to Exxon Greenspoint (north of Houston), and she traveled back to Tyler on weekends to be with Lara and family.

She enjoyed many things around north Houston and was proud to be a country western dance instructor there. With Lara as her sidekick one busy, warm summer night, she went to Midnight Rodeo Dance Hall Holzwarth Road in Spring TX; it was an eventful night that would surely change her life forever. She was asked to dance by a little ol' country boy, Don Dahmann, who lived just down the street in Enchanted Oaks, and the "Boot Scootin Boogie" was on. They dated and danced for a couple of years until a life changing new opportunity came about.

In 1994, Exxon asked her group of 6 who would be interested in a 2-year temporary domestic assignment in Alaska, while on loan to Alyeska Pipeline Svc. Co., the operator of the Alaska Oil Pipeline. She said "what-the-heck" and threw her name in the hat, knowing it was a long shot in a male-dominated world. After multiple conference calls and interviews and being one who followed procedures, she submitted her resume as requested by Alyeska on a one page draft. She used a very small font and made her history fit. The guys all sent multiple-pages and low and behold she was selected for the transfer and The Alaska Adventure began. She was so proud, because the guys all told her it was a waste of her time. Meanwhile, Don managed a satellite location of Lloyd Graves Electric Supply in Humble TX. On a Friday, Cheri called Don crying, which was very unusual for her. Through a sobbing voice, she mumbled "I GOT THE JOB IN ALASKA!!!" In a little shock, he replied, "Well that's kinda funny, because I just put in my 2-weeks notice" (after 12+ years with Graves and with intentions of going to work for a larger operation in Houston with more opportunity).

On Saturday April 16, 1994, Don & Cheri were married by Pastor Steve Sohns at Resurrection Lutheran in Spring, TX. They had a big old Texas Dianeshire Street BBQ at their house with many friends and family to see them off. For the honeymoon on the following Sunday morning, they quickly boarded a Delta Airlines flight First Class, because it was more than 6-hours of travel with only 4 days to find a house-to-rent in Anchorage. When met by a contracted real estate lady at the Anchorage Airport, she had a binder full of possible rentals and a map. We asked if people around ever see moose. She replied "Some do frequently and some never have". We encountered the first 2 slow-walking ungulates within a 20-minute drive. Long story short, we found a very nice house and made a deal with the owner on the 3rd day. Cheri moved up Early May 2nd with her old Dachshund Clara and Don followed June 1st with Sassafrass, the little red mini-pinscher. We both spent the next 28+ years enjoying fishing, flying airplanes, snowmachines, boats, 4-wheelers, hunting, and with any other used, cheap toys we could find (due to Don's abilities to repair about anything).

For 27 years, Cheri worked rotations along the Alaska Pipeline at pump stations 1, 4, 5, 10, 12, the Valdez Marine Terminal, Milne Point, and Northstar Island Oil & gas facilities. She served on many safety, oil spill, audit, and charity committee's as well as helped organize team events for contract companies on the north slope of Alaska. She was instrumental in documentation, updating drawings, tagging equipment, and oilfield procedures. She also had much input in writing procedures for pigging runs to clean and inspect the Alaska oil pipeline.

Cheri worked with and made many new lifelong friends during her long career, and she had many personal talents. She excelled at fishing with great passion and (almost every trip) would out-fish everyone on the boat—jigging at 300+ feet for Yelloweye Rockfish and Halibut as well as many limits of Coho Salmon each season. She just had the touch and patience.

She was a fine cook and loved to crochet (mostly self-taught but with some help by friend's and the internet) and made many items for Christmas presents, mostly for children, friends and families in need. She was a very selfless, honest and caring person who will be greatly missed by many.

Cheri was preceded in death by her parents and sister Jackie.

She is survived by: loving husband Don Dahmann; daughter Lara and Carlos Flores; brother Jim and Marcia Miles; nephews Tom and Tiffany Walls, Michael Walls, Adam Miles; grandchildren Emily and Andrew Jennings, Brent Whidden; step-grandchildren Joshua and Rachel Flores, Ashley Flores, Jacob and Erica Flores; great grandchildren Avery Robinson, Vincent and Denver Flores; grandnephews Austin, David and John Wayne Walls; brother-in-law Doyle Dahmann and Karin; sister-in-law Dee Dahmann and Cork Graham; nephews and nieces Justice McCord, Rollin and Angela Ogradowicz, Eedann McCord; great nephews and nieces.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday August 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, William Penn Community with Rev. Kelly Krieg officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: Adam Miles, Tom Walls, Mike Walls, Brent Whidden, Josh Flores and Carlos Flores.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Shriners Hospitals for Children or any charity of choice.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX 77833. 979.836.3611 Share tributes at www.brenhammemorialchapel.com.