Charlotte mother Cheryl Schuler, 60, dies after 2.5-year glioblastoma battle

Cheryl Robin Schuler, a Charlotte mother of three who spent nearly three decades quietly holding her community together, died peacefully on August 9, 2026, at age 60, following a 2.5-year battle with glioblastoma. Her service is set for Tuesday, August 11, at 3:30 p.m. at The Hebrew Cemetery of Greater Charlotte.

Even after her diagnosis, Schuler's instinct was to look outward. According to her obituary published through McEwen Funeral Service-Pineville Chapel, her first thought upon learning she had glioblastoma was how the illness would affect her children and friends — not herself. On her better days, she channeled that energy into building a stockpile of memories: writing original songs to express gratitude to her support circle, taking her children to Build-a-Bear to make keepsake teddy bears, recording herself reading children's books for grandchildren she hoped would one day hear her voice, and buying souvenirs for each of her kids to hold onto.

Born October 7, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jerry and Fran Schuler, she spent her early adult years in New York before relocating to Charlotte in 1997 to raise her family. She is survived by her children Jenna, 31, Alex, 29, and Jake, 27; her mother Fran Schuler; her brother Gary Schuler; and sister-in-law Stacey Schuler. Her father, Jerry Schuler, preceded her in death.

Those who knew her describe a woman who was simultaneously the loudest voice in the front row at every school play and sports game and the first phone call her children made when something went wrong. At Providence Day School, where she worked in the school store, she became a trusted sounding board for parents navigating college admissions, teachers, and students who came to think of her as a second mother.

Her family describes her as 'remarkably strong, hilarious, quick-witted, street smart, and endlessly thoughtful' — someone who could maximize airline miles, find the lowest price on any purchase, build a complex spreadsheet, and network her way into a restaurant before it opened. She liked to help and rarely asked for it. When she finally needed it, according to her obituary, the army of people she had quietly supported over the years showed up to carry her through.

One of the things that carried Schuler herself was the music therapy program at Levine Cancer Institute, part of Atrium Health. Through it, she found an outlet to tell her story, process her illness, and create the legacy books and recordings she left behind. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that donations be directed to that program through the Atrium Health Foundation, designated for the Carolina Supportive Oncology Fund and marked 'In Memory of Cheryl Schuler' and 'Music Therapy.'

Schuler never liked to be the center of attention — a fact her family honored in the service details. There will be no livestream, at her request. Guests are encouraged to skip formal attire and come instead in gray sweatpants, her go-to outfit.

Why it matters — Schuler's story — and her family's request to fund the music therapy program that helped her — offers Charlotte readers a direct way to support a local cancer care resource that gave a community member comfort in her final years.

⚠ Based on a single source (dignitymemorial.com). Independently unverified — details may change.

Reported by dignitymemorial.com