* Alma Kimbrough Cherry; Longtime Resident

Longtime Ventura County resident Alma Kimbrough Cherry died Thursday after a lengthy illness. She was 93.

Cherry was born March 18, 1905, in Fredericksburg, Texas. She attended grade school and high school in Texas, then earned a teaching certificate and taught briefly before marrying William H. Cherry on Dec. 19, 1926.

Cherry’s husband was a career serviceman in the U.S. Army. The couple were stationed in cities throughout the world, including a stint in Japan after World War II and in Germany.

The couple moved to San Diego in 1953 after William Cherry retired as a lieutenant colonel. In San Diego, Cherry was active with a Catholic church.

“As a lieutenant colonel’s wife, she was very gracious. She hosted dinners and she was active and involved,” said Santa Paula resident Elizabeth Caezza, Cherry’s niece.

Because she traveled frequently, Cherry’s hobbies included writing to friends throughout the country, Caezza said.

In 1966, Cherry and her husband moved to Ventura to be closer to Cherry’s family, Caezza said. William Cherry died the following year, Caezza said.

Cherry was a longtime member of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Ventura.

“Until she quit driving, she used to be the one who would drive the little old ladies of the church to functions,” Caezza said.

In 1989, Cherry moved into the Mound Guest Home in Ventura. In January, she relocated to a skilled nursing home in Santa Paula to be closer to Caezza.

In addition to Caezza, Cherry is survived by several other nieces and nephews.

There will be a service at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Interment will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura. Joseph Reardon Funeral Home in Ventura is handling the arrangements.