We are sady to report that Lorraine Cherry, president of Friends of W. 11th St. Park, passed away Saturday, November 25th. 2017

Lorraine M. Cherry, Ph.D., born October 17, 1947 in Los Angeles, CA, passed away on November 25, 2017. She is survived by her husband of 27 years, Dave Dyer of Houston, and her brother, Jeff Kasmar of Albany, CA.

She moved to Houston in 1980 after finishing her Ph.D. in genetics at The University of California, Berkeley, and spent 18 years in various faculty positions in the medical school at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center. She then founded her own research and consulting service for biomedical professionals which she ran for 15 years. She authored or co-authored several hundred technical and scientific publications. Her California friends were shocked when she told them that she preferred living in Houston over Berkeley.

She is best known for her volunteer work to preserve the 20-acre natural area that is now known as West 11th St. Park. Starting in 1998, she led a successful multi-year campaign with local government business leaders to raise enough money for the city to acquire the property from Houston Independent School District. The park was established in 2007 and Lorraine has been the president of Friends of W. 11th St. Park since she founded it in 2005. The vision statement for this organization is: “This land shall be preserved forever as a natural habitat. Future amenities and improvements will be designed to promote conservation and the appreciation and enjoyment of nature.”

She was a gourmet cook, a world traveler, and a great friend to many people. Lorraine was one of those rare people who was successful at everything she tried, and she kept trying new things.