Donald Luke Chery, Jr., died June 28, 2025, in his home at 5202 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda, surrounded by family and friends.
Don was born Sept. 16, 1937, in Denver CO to Donald L. Chery, Sr. and Beth Marcellus Chamberlain Chery. He grew up in Trinidad CO, and later in Tucson AZ. His BA degree was from the University of Arizona in Tucson and his PhD was from Utah State University in Logan.
He married his first wife, Marsha Parkinson, Nov. 20, 1963. They were divorced in 1976. He married his second wife, Rev. Virginia Luke, Sept. 17, 1995. Together they built their dream house on Bradley Boulevard.
Don was a hydrologist by training and a strong social justice advocate his entire life. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in water resources in Tucson and in Athens GA. Later he worked for Dames and Moore in Washington DC, and concluded his engineering career with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with 36 years of government service.
While in Tucson, Don was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Board, where a fellow member was a Unitarian Universalist minister. Later, in Athens, Don joined the UU Congregation and three years later was the chair of their board.
When he moved to Bethesda MD in 1980, he became a member of River Road UU Congregation (RRUUC). There he was on the board; was one of the planners for their Sunday forum called CC&C; was a youth advisor who took 40 youth in 1999 to The Hague Peace Conference, and youth delegations on immersion experiences to El Salvador for 17 years. He was a leader in the social justice programs at RRUUC, especially with the Latin America Taskforce. He was on the board of the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland and a member of the UU Social Justice Immigration Steering Committee. He was also a member of the UUA President’s Council.
Don has been active in the Maryland and U.S. Democratic parties. During elections, his yard has been full of signs supporting Democratic candidates. He often lobbied representatives and their staff at the Capitol. He also was a strong alumnae supporter of Utah State University, supporting its scholarship program.
He will be greatly missed by family and friends. One of his colleagues from the CoCoDA (Companion Community Development Alternatives) has said, “His life made deep and lasting impacts for good in this world.”
He left a loving wife Rev. Virginia Luke; son Anthony Chery; brother Allen Chery; sister Pamela Chery; grandchildren Nicholas Pryplesh, Alexander Chery, Alexandra Pryplesh and Morgan Chery, as well as many friends.