I ATTENDED THE MONTHLY MAQUOKETA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LUNCHEON
YESTERDAY AT THE EAGLES CLUB. AND AS ALWAYS, JUST INSIDE THE DOOR,
TO GREET EVERYONE, WAS THIS SMILING FACE. IT BELONGS TO CHERYL CLARK. SHE HAS BEEN THE "2ND IN COMMAND" SINCE 1989....OVER 22 YEARS WITH THE CHAMBER AND SHE SAYS SHE STILL LOVES HER JOB AND HOPES TO RETIRE WITH THE CHAMBER. SHE GOT HER FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAMBER WHILE HER MOTHER OPERATED A T-SHIRT SHOP ON MAIN STREET
IN THE LATE 70'S TO EARLY 80'S. IN FACT, CHERYL WORKED FOR HER AND
SERVED ON THE RETAIL TRADE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING HER MOM'S BUSINESS. HER MOM DIED IN 1984 AND HER DAD (WORKED FOR THE IOWA HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT) DIED IN 1996. HER BROTHER ROB WAS A CARPET LAYER, BIG BOWLER, AND DIED IN 1993 AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 41.
SHE HAS A SISTER LISA THAT LIVES IN MAQUOKETA. CHERYL, AFTER
GRADUATING FROM MAQUOKETA HIGH SCHOL IN 1974, FIRST WORKED AT A COUPLE OTHER PLACES DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING LEINBACH'S DEPARTMENT STORE, AND SHE MANAGED McLANE OFFICE PRODUCTS. SO, YOU COULD SAY
DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA HAS BEEN HER "2ND HOME" FOR OVER 35 YEARS.
THE CHANGES WE HAVE BOTH SEEN DURING THOSE YEARS.
CHERYL IS MARRIED TO ANDY (SINCE 1981) AND HE WORKED FOR THEISEN'S
FOR 14 YEARS UNTIL HE BECAME MANAGER OF THE SUPER 8 MOTEL IN 1991.
THE MOTEL WAS 20 YEARS OLD LAST JULY AND NOW IS KNOWN AS
MAQUOKETA INN AND SUITES. CHERYL AND ANDY LOVE TO GOLF,
GO TO MOVIES, LIKE TRAVELING AND VACATION IN FLORIDA THE LAST TWO
WEEKS IN MARCH. THEY HAVE NO CHILDREN.
TWO MAQUOKETANS WHO DAILY MEET AND GREET A LOT OF VISITORS TO
MAQUOKETA...AND MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME! THANK YOU CHERYL AND
ANDY!
DENNIS VOY