Cherie Yvonne Messina
(née Sontag) Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, – beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend – passed away on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at the age of 52. She was surrounded by her children, family, and dear loved ones. She is survived by her beloved and loving children Catherine, Andrew, and Abigail Messina; dear father Larry (Angela) Sontag and dear mother Linda Roth; sisters Carisa (John) Pursell and Corryne (Matt) Perego; dear daughter-in-law of Nancy Thorton Messina; dear sister-in-law of Ann M. Messina; dear aunt of Ben and Mackenzie Pursell; dear step-sister of Matthew Krechel, Andrea Krechel Mahoney, Mark Krechel, Lisa Roth, and Carrie Roth Abboud. She is joined in the arms of the Lord by her beloved late husband Timothy M. Messina, late grandparents Raymond and Ruth Sontag, late brother-in-law Kevin P. Messina, late father-in-law Philip M. Messina D.D.S., late stepfather Russ Roth, and many other loved ones.
Born on August 27, 1973, in Creve Coeur, Missouri, Cherie lived a life defined by compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. She had a long and successful career working as a senior Organizational Change and Learning and Development Professional, and was beloved, admired, and well-respected by many. She prioritized family in all its forms and found deep meaning in nurturing the people she loved, especially her children.
Throughout her life, Cherie was a beacon of kindness and had an extraordinary ability to make others feel seen and understood. Her love was fierce and unwavering, and she made sure that those around her knew it. She inspired those around her to lead with love and to treat others with the same grace she so effortlessly embodied.
Cherie’s legacy is one of goodness in its purest form. She not only lived by example but also encouraged others to carry forward the values she held dear. Her influence will continue to ripple outward through the lives she touched and the lessons she imparted.
May her memory bring comfort to those who knew her and serve as a lasting reminder of the power of kindness and love.
Services: Memorial Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 12:00 pm at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 15642 Clayton Road, Ellisville, MO 63011 with a Mass of the Resurrection to follow at 2:00 pm.
A celebration of Cherie’s life will be held from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Meadowbrook Country Club, 200 Meadowbrook Country Club Estates. Please join us to share your memories and stories, and to spend time amongst all of Cherie’s loved ones.
A private interment will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery on Monday.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Cherie’s memory may be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation at a webpage created in her honor by the foundation. See the following link: https://give.cholangiocarcinoma.org/cherie-messina
If you wish to donate by phone, please call (888) 936-6731 and speak with Laurie Kikel. If you wish to donate by mail, send check to:
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation – In honor of Cherie Messina 5526 West 13400 South, #510 Herriman, Utah 84096.
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Philip Brown says
November 10, 2025 at 9:26 amI’m so sorry to the Sontag family and my condolences.
Maura O’Neill says
November 3, 2025 at 10:37 pmI was introduced to Cherie by Dana professionally long ago because we do the same type of work, and she was always so kind and vibrant to me. I feel like I knew her so well by the way Dana talked about her and their friendship, and following her life on social media. You could see and read the love she has for her children and family. I saw her in July and she was smiling and laughing. I pray that she has found her peace with those she loves. My deepest condolences.
May you find comfort in you memories.
Kenneth Ruiz says
November 3, 2025 at 1:42 pmI did not work with Cherie directly but our teams worked collectively on several projects. My heart is saddened by your loss, and our thoughts are with you.