In Loving Memory of Cheryl Lynn Towner (Gayhart)

December 13, 1960 - July 25, 2026

With broken hearts, we announce the passing of Cheryl Lynn Towner (Gayhart), who passed away peacefully on July 25, 2026, at the age of 65, surrounded by the love of her family after an extraordinary and courageous battle with cancer.

Born on December 13, 1960, in Corning, New York, Cheryl lived a life filled with kindness, creativity, laughter, and unwavering love for those around her. She worked throughout her life at Champion, Tops Friendly Markets, Kraft Foods, and other jobs, always bringing the same warm smile and hardworking spirit wherever she went.

To know Cheryl was to know joy. She had a gift for making beautiful things with her hands and treasured every opportunity to create. Whether she was crocheting, sewing, scrapbooking, making handmade cards, or discovering a new craft, she poured love into everything she touched. Her creativity wasn't simply a hobby,...it was one of the many ways she showed people she cared.

She found happiness in life's simple pleasures: cheering on her beloved Buffalo Bills, singing along to Def Leppard, enjoying a banana split, and sharing laughter with family and friends. Cheryl had an infectious smile that rarely left her face and a sense of humor that could brighten even the darkest day. She made people feel welcome, loved, and important simply by being herself.

One of Cheryl's greatest legacies was her remarkable strength. She faced cancer with a courage that inspired everyone around her. Time after time, she refused to give up, overcoming four separate battles that would have defeated many. Even when she was ultimately faced with one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, she never stopped fighting. She met every challenge with determination, grace, and hope. Cancer may have claimed her life, but it never conquered her spirit.

Above all else, Cheryl loved her family. They were her greatest pride, her greatest accomplishment, and the center of her world. Her final days were filled with the same thing that defined her entire life,...LOVE. She left this world knowing beyond any doubt how deeply she was cherished. Her love will continue to live on in every story shared, every laugh remembered, every handmade gift cherished, and every heart she touched.

Cheryl is survived by her daughter, Christina (Nick) Roth; her daughter-in-law, Alyssa Towner; her cherished grandchildren, Collin Roth, Caleb (Ariannah) Roth, Elijah Roth, Keegan Roth, Aubree Towner, Landon Towner, and Lydia Towner; her sisters, Laurie (Gary) Travis, Brenda (Bob) Avery, Elizabeth Aquilina, and Donna (Donnie) Collister; her sisters-in-law, Cherylene Towner and Shirley Towner; her best friend, Rebecca Meyers; her boyfriend's family, Sheila (James), Stacey, Shantel, Adam Kromer and Mara Swan; along with many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by knowing her.

She was welcomed into eternal peace by those who went before her: her beloved husband, Gary Towner Sr.; her cherished son, Gary Towner Jr.; her parents, Dorothy and Donald Gayhart; her sister, RoseMarie Gayhart; her beloved companion, Arthur Kromer; and her playful pooch, Teddy.

Although our hearts are heavy with grief, we take comfort in knowing Cheryl is reunited with those she loved most, free from pain, her hands busy creating once again, her laughter filling Heaven, and her beautiful smile shining brighter than ever.

The world is a little less colorful without Cheryl in it, but her love, her strength, and the countless memories she created will remain forever in the hearts of those who were blessed enough to know her.

If you knew Cheryl, honor her by sharing a laugh, creating something with your hands, cheering on the Bills, turning up some Def Leppard, or treating someone you love to a banana split. That's how she'd want to be remembered.

The family will be present to receive friends on Friday (July 31, 2026) at the Bender-Brown & Powers Funeral Home 354 Canisteo Street in Hornell from 11am-1pm with a Funeral Service at 1:00pm with Pastor John Zatkicwitz officiating. Burial will be at Fremont Cemetery in the Town of Stephens Mills.

To send a remembrance please www.brownandpowersfuneralhomes.com or on Facebook @ Brown Powers FH.

Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society www.cancer.org