Cheryl Jean Long Arriaga

© The Bakersfield Californian

19 June 2004

Submitted by: Sandi Carter

Cheryl Jean Long Arriaga, a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother, was born November 2, 1952 in Enid, OK. She made her ascent to Heaven on June 16, 2004, at the age of 51, in the presence of her family at her home in Exeter, CA. She battled cancer valiantly for three years and sought strength through her family and faith.

Cheryl worked for Standard Register in Hanford and Porterville for 18 years, during that time she pursued her lifelong dream of working with children by attending school in the evenings to earn her Bachelors Degree in Counseling. She served the students of Corcoran High School as a counselor while she continued her studies and earned a Masters Degree from Fresno Pacific in Psychology. She would then go on to serve the students of the Visalia Unified School District as a School Psychologist. Cheryl was committed to her work; she was proud and humbled that she could make a difference in the lives of children.

Cheryl was an avid horse lover, in her spare time, she trained and competed in Western and English riding. She began dabbling in training her new mare and recently received the exciting news that her mare is with foal. The foal will ensure that her legacy will continue, as her grandchild has inhereted her love for horses.

She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Jess Arriaga of Exeter; daughter, Shelley Garcia of Vacaville; sons, Brett Arriaga of Sacramento and Ryan Arriago of Exeter; grandson, Jesse-Diego Garcia of Vacaville; parents, Raymond and Geraldene Long of Wasco; brothers, Kenneth Long of Turlock and Allan Long of Bakersfield; and sister, Connie Klingenberg of Bakersfield.

Graveside service will be at the Wasco Cemetery, on Saturday, June 18, at 10:00 a.m. Remembrances may be made to the American Cancer Society, 211 North Encina, Visalia, CA 93291.

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