Cheryl Arlene Legg Bihlmaier, of Osborne, KS, passed away after a tremendous battle with cancer on February 9, 2024. She was born in Beloit, KS on September 10, 1952, the only child of Percy and Florence McClure Legg. She was 71.
Cheryl graduated from Osborne High School in the Class of 1970, where she was active in many extracurricular activities including pep club, class officer positions, mixed chorus and various musical bands. She attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS, returning to Osborne and taking a position as bookkeeper in the laboratory department of Osborne County Memorial Hospital.
She married Steve Bihlmaier in 1976 in Osborne, where Steve was an insurance and real estate agent for the Bihlmaier Agency. Cheryl joined Steve’s business as secretary and bookkeeper and soon became licensed as an insurance and real estate agent as well. Cheryl and Steve eventually helped manage the local State Farm practice owned by Steve’s father, Gene Bihlmaier. When the Bihlmaier family purchased the Farmers National Bank, which later became The Farmers Bank of Osborne, Cheryl managed the Osborne Investment Insurance Agency associated with the bank. She continued to be heavily involved with many aspects of the bank until retirement in 2020.
Cheryl was a member of the United Methodist Church in Osborne, where she played the organ and piano for several years when her two sons were young. She was also a longtime member of the Osborne PEO, serving as president and in various officer roles. From being a Boy Scout den mother to cheering her boys on at every sports event, Cheryl was deeply supportive of their many activities and academic pursuits. Gathering yearly in Colorado and Arizona with her family and dear friends were always cherished opportunities to be together and make lasting memories.
A gracious and caring person, Cheryl was generous with her time and expertise, willingly passing on her skills to numerous family and friends over the years. She enjoyed playing her grand piano and had great pleasure in knitting gifts for loved ones. A lifelong avid reader, Cheryl was never without a paperback in hand and a good book recommendation to pass along. Cheryl appreciated attention to detail and remembered all of her children’s and granddaughters’ accomplishments, always happy to tell and re-tell a good story involving family members’ activities.
In 2012, Cheryl’s eldest son, Nate passed away, unexpectedly at the age of 31. While this unimaginable tragedy resulted in extreme sorrow and forever changed many lives, Cheryl stoically remained the ultimate pillar of enduring strength and everlasting love for her family, especially to her granddaughter Dylan, who never had the chance to meet her incredible father. It is with this same fortitude and resolve that Cheryl courageously fought her illness for several years, never complaining once. Cheryl’s purposeful life and her amazing will to fight were rooted in her abundant love for her three granddaughters, whom she was determined to see grow into young women with a strong sense of self, just like her.
Cheryl’s greatest source of joy was her family.
She was preceded in death by parents Percy and Florence Legg, and son Nate Bihlmaier. She is survived by her beloved husband Steve Bihlmaier; son Matt Bihlmaier, his wife Jenn and granddaughters Claire and Olivia of Lawrence, KS; and daughter-in-law Nancy Bihlmaier and granddaughter Dylan of Houston, TX. Cheryl also leaves behind brother-in-law Doug Bihlmaier and his wife Kathy; niece Jesse Stiles, her husband Davey and great-niece Zoe; and niece Haley Bihlmaier, all of East Hampton, NY.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be gratefully designated to the Nate Bihlmaier Scholarship Fund or to Osborne County Memorial Hospital.