Mary Ann Cherry Gunning, 80, of Blue Bell, PA passed away Thursday, March 9, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA. She was born August 30, 1942 in Philadelphia to Robert and Ethel (Lawson) Atkinson and was raised in the Germantown section of the city. She was proud to be the first of her Northern Irish family to be born in the United States. After graduating from Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University), she worked for a brief time at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood on the Main Line and then later moved on to GlaxoSmithKline as a Med Tech at the Upper Merion campus for 37 years. She retired from her long career in 2005 to pursue grandparenting when her 3 grandchildren were born that spring. Cherry married Kenneth Gunning, Jr. November 11, 1972 at Market Square Presbyterian Church in Germantown. They lived in Roxborough where they raised their 2 sons until 1990 and then moved to Blue Bell. While living in Roxborough, she and her family were members of Leverington Presbyterian Church and later joined Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA when they moved to Blue Bell where she enjoyed spending time in the Ladies' Bible Study group, caring for the young children in the MOPS group, and delivering flowers with the visitation team. She also loved spending time flower gardening, hosting her family at the holidays, and supporting and cheering on her grandchildren at their many activities. She also loved to spend time "down the shore" at Ocean City, NJ with her friends and family, a favorite vacation spot from the time she was a child until just earlier this spring.
Cherry is survived by her husband, Ken, and 2 sons, Robert (Jennifer) and David (Sharon), along with her 3 grandchildren, Matthew, Joshua, and Lauren Gunning. She will be greatly missed by them and her many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. Cherry made it clear that she wanted everyone to celebrate her life and her relationship with the Lord. Knowing that a joyful day of being reunited with her lies ahead brings comfort to all who feel her absence here.
Per her wishes, a private funeral service will be held for the immediate family and a Celebration of Life service will be held at Central Schwenkfelder Church at a later date. In lieu of gifts and flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to University of Pennsylvania Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, your local ASPCA, or Central Schwenkfelder Church in Cherry's name.