Eulogy of Marsha L. Cheeseman Hello everyone. I’m Dave Temple, a friend of Mike and Marsha and it is my honor to say a few words about this remarkable woman. Marsha Lee Cheeseman would have been uneasy for such a ceremony but would be happy to see all of you. She was highly intelligent, an extremely great organizer, quite adept at using tools, loved to camp, talented craftmaker and seamstress but best of all sported great Red Hair and Freckles. Marsha grew up in this lovely town of Wenham. She went to Bessie Buker Elementary School and Hamilton-Wenham High School. She was very active in Girl Scouts and even ran a Girl Scout troop in Colorado. In high school she played the flute in the band, played basketball and loved to play field hockey. She use to say there are no fouls in sports--unless you get caught. Marsha has always been intensively devoted to family. She loved her dad, Herb, who always referred to her as Doll, her mother Betty and older brothers, Alan and Gary. Other family members were always in Marsha’s thoughts. Marsha would do and say things to make each family member feel incredibly special. Marsha came from a military family. Her father served in World War II and her brothers Allan and Gary graduated from the Air Force Academy and served in the Air Force. She followed that tradition by joining Air Force ROTC at the University of New Hampshire. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. She received a commission as an Air Force Second Lieutenant. She also got a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. It was in ROTC that Mike Therrien first met Marsha. He saw her in ROTC classes but never spoke to her. He felt uneasy because she is extremely smart and intelligent, everyone seemed to know her and then there is that gorgeous head of red hair that stood out! It was at an ROTC dinner/function in Nov of 1974 that Mike saw Marsha across the room and asked an acquaintance if she was seeing anyone. No one knew. He got his courage up and decided to talk to her. He asked her to dance. The song for that 1st dance is a classic of course—“Color My World” by Chicago. It became “their song”, repeated at their wedding and incorporated into a special music box with the initials “M&M” engraved on the top. Don’t be alarmed, I’m not going to sing it for you but I will quote an appropriate verse: As time goes on I realize just what you mean to me And now, now that you're near Promise your love That I've waited to share and dream of our moments together Color my world with hope of loving you People talk about love at first sight and see it in movies, but here is proof that it does happen. They talked most of the night and when the night was over, Mike walked her to the car. It snowed a little and he cleaned the snow off the window of his car as a stall tactic to get more time with her. Marsha later told Mike that when she went home, she told her mother she found the man she was going to marry. Mike went home confident that he found the woman he will love forever. They saw each other constantly but never really officially dated because they didn’t have any money. They just could not stop seeing each other. Marsha was key in helping Mike get through Math/Science courses and Marsha helped Gail (Mike’s sister) get through a Biochemistry course. Gail would not have become a nurse without Marsha helping her – Marsha got an “A”in the course, Gail a “C”. Marsha and Mike both got their commissions in the Air Force in 1976 – she got assigned to Dietician Internship in Washington D.C. Mike got assigned to Space in Colorado. NOTE: At the Internship Marsha had to wear makeup all the time (she only wore makeup for special functions), had to wear her hair a certain way and wear white gloves at special functions. After she became a REGISTERED DIETETICAN, it was hoped that she would be assigned to Colorado. Instead, she got assigned to March AFB in California. As you would imagine, phone bills were high as they both kept calling each other. Michael asked Marsha to marry him many times but she said no –- she wanted to be independent. It looked like they would never be together. It was on one trip where she said YES! 10 May 1978 they got married in the town of Wenham. Some months later she got an assignment to Colorado Springs. Mike and Marsha lived in a one bedroom furnished apartment with shag rug. That did not last long Marsha said “we are buying a house”. About 18 months later Mike got a remote assignment to Australia, unaccompanied. The separation only made the bond between them stronger. After Australia it looked like they would not be assigned together. Long discussions occurred and Marsha went into the Air Force Reserves. She had a lot of different assignments in the Reserves. She got called up to active duty during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Marsha began her career in the Air Force 12 August 1976 and retired as a full Colonel 12 Aug 1999. By the way, Marsha pinned on every rank before Mike, and was fond of reminding him she outranked him at home and at work. Marsha managed to get into Air Force Civil Service and spent over 33 years serving her country. She was selectively chosen to work in a great organization, “Secretary of the Air Force Special Projects (SAFSP)”. People did not know that she had high level Top Secret Special Compartmented clearances. She worked on spy satellites and other capabilities. She knew all the programs that Mike worked on (he was in the same organization but different programs) but he never knew all the things she worked on. She worked with but NOT for the Central Intelligence Agency although Mike often told her she would have made an excellent spy. She could go to parties and when the party was over she would tell Mike where everyone in the party worked, what they did, etc. She listened while others like to talk. It scared the hell out of him how she was able to do this. Now I know what some of you must be thinking—if Marsha was so intelligent, why was she with Mike—maybe just to keep a permanent eye on him. She worked in places where the address and the actual place she worked were miles/towns away. She did many, many things that kept this country strong but none of us can even know the details. After travelling the world, moving every 3 years, meeting new people, and changing jobs Marsha wanted to settle down and go back home and live in Wenham. Mike got his last assignment at Hanscom AFB. Marsha got jobs working in Contracting and Finance. Her last job was in Finance working on the AWACS program. They lived on base at Hanscom, then in Bedford and finally found a place in Wenham and moved in 2012. In Oct 2016 during a routine exam she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to retire in 2016 but did not want a ceremony. People would ask if she was going to travel more, etc. She didn’t want to reveal the upcoming fight with cancer. The cancer had spread but Marsha continued to fight. She underwent many cancer trials and was able to keep her lovely red hair. She still took care of her mother Betty while she underwent treatment. Again, Marsha did not share her illness. She was a private person and wanted people to treat her as Marsha Cheeseman, not Marsha Cheeseman with cancer. What kept Marsha focused is that M&M bought additional property in Wenham and planned to build their dream house. They started the process in 2016 working with an architect. She was dedicated to designing the house at 52 Pleasant St. Finally, in fall of 2019 they broke ground and started building. She engaged with every contractor involved. Any time there was a question, a contractor would walk up to Mike, hesitate and ask “Uhh, Could you get Marsha”. She knew the house design to the quarter inch. It was common for her to go to the house with a tape measure to ensure they built it exactly to specs. At the end of July this year the house was finally built and M&M started the process of moving in. But Marsha’s strength and health waned. She would take naps in the far bedroom that was brightly painted yellow. When Mike asked, “Why are you sleeping in this room?” She replied the color and sunshine made her feel better. Unfortunately her health continued to decline. Gail came from Colorado to help as well as cousin Lori from New Hampshire. Gail, Lori and Mike nursed and took care of Marsha every day in the yellow room of their new house until the sad day of Friday 18 Sept 2020. Mike and Marsha had a special bond of love. They would leave love notes to each to each other. Opening a dresser drawer, on the bathroom mirror, in pockets of clothing—always a happy surprise. They shared a special signal between them. M&M would always hold hands and in times of stress, and at other moments, they would silently squeeze their hands 3 times. Meaning I love you, I am always with you and we will always be in each other’s heart and soul. So in conclusion I have a small favor to ask of each of you. You don’t have to do it now but the next opportunity when you are with someone you love, if you could hold their hand and gently squeeze 3 times. Once for you, once for the one you love and once in remembrance of Marsha….. Thank you