Jack Conrad Cherry

Jack Cherry died peacefully in his sleep the morning of August 7, 2015, in Las Vegas, NV. He was born in Goldfield, Nevada on July 8, 1932, to Jack C. Cherry and Philomena Cherry (Reynolds). Later, the family moved to Tonopah, NV, and then to Las Vegas in 1942, when the population was only about 8,500. He attended Las Vegas Grammar School and Las Vegas High School (Class of 1950). In 1954, Mr. Cherry received his Bachelor’s Degree in political science from University of Nevada Reno in 1954. Shortly after that, he married Shirley Wengert. They had four children and were married until 1973. Mr. Cherry served in the United States Army, Armor Branch as Company Commander of the 78th Tank Company from July, 1954, to April, 1956, and was stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Once he was honorably discharged from the Army, he attended the University of Southern California Law School, receiving his law degree in 1959. After graduation, he was employed as Deputy District Attorney for Clark County. In 1960, he was appointed District Attorney and served in that position for approximately two years. While in the District Attorney’s office, Mr. Cherry was legal counsel and advisor to an impaneled Grand Jury, tried and obtained convictions in 22 criminal misdemeanor cases, and tried and obtained convictions in 8 felony jury trials. Mr. Cherry was a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). To qualify for membership in this respected and selective organization, an applicant must have tried a minimum of 20 civil jury trials to verdict. In fact, Mr. Cherry tried 35 civil trials to verdict. In the first Right to Die case in the State of Nevada, Mr. Cherry represented Kenneth Bergstedt, a 31-year-old quadriplegic, permanently paralyzed from the neck down due to a spinal cord injury that occurred when he was 10 years old. Mr. Cherry prevailed in this case, and the Nevada Supreme Court affirmed a Declaratory Judgment permitting Kenneth the Right, under specific guidelines, to terminate his sustaining medical treatment. When Mr. Cherry was contacted by Peter Jennings for an interview, he declined, stating that he did not give interviews, because it was not about him, but rather it was about Kenneth Bergstedt. Mr. Cherry was an active member in the Clark County Bar Association; State Bar of Nevada; ALFA (American Law Firm Assoc.) International; Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC); National Tank Truck Carriers Association; and Transportation Lawyers Association. Mr. Cherry achieved many special distinctions and achievements. In 1963, he attended the New York Institute of Finance, to take a break from the practice of law, and was a stockbroker. In the 1970s, he was hired by Bill Janss to work as the head of marketing to develop Elkhorn at Sun Valley, ID. When he returned to Las Vegas, he joined the law firm of Beckley, Singleton, DeLanoy, Jemison & Reid, Chartered, and remained with that firm for 22 years. In October of 1995, he became of Counsel to the Alverson, Taylor, Mortensen & Sanders firm. He retired from that firm May 31, 2015. Mr. Cherry loved hunting, skiing, golfing (had one Hole-in-One), traveling the world, taking pictures and reading. From these adventures and his life’s experiences, he was a great storyteller. He was one-of-a-kind and will be sorely missed. Mr. Cherry was preceded in death by his son, Kevin Conrad Cherry. He is survived by his wife of nearly 30 years, Karyn (Rogers Bouschor); children: Janet DeVara, Brenda Abbott (James Abbott); and Dana Strahl (Tracy Strahl); stepdaughters: Royalynn Bouschor Beaudoin and Tiffany (Bouschor) O’Connor (Brendan O’Connor); grandsons: Michael Cherry, Perry Strahl, Kendall Strahl, and Noah Cherry, and step-grandson Cameron Beaudoin; three great-granddaughters; the mother of his children, Shirley Wengert Shupe; and his little Yorkie, Fairway. A Memorial Service/Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2015 at Palm Mortuary Eastern, 7600 S Eastern, with a reception following at 3:00 p.m. at Spanish Trail Country Club. With his passing, the earth is much quieter, but Heaven shines more brightly.