Yury Merchan Cerquera

Yury Merchan Cerquera

 “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is eternal.”

Yury Patricia Merchan Cerquera, beloved mother, wife, daughter and sister died in the morning hours of June 19th surrounded by family. She was born on July 24th, 1984, to Janeth Cerquera and Gustavo Merchan as the younger sister to Harold, in Bogotá Colombia. 

Yury is survived by her husband Conrad, son Nicolas, daughter Sofia, brother Harold, mother Janeth and father Gustavo.

Her childhood was characterized by her joy and way of being. She was very loved by her cousins and friends. Her studies in primary and secondary school were always by her brother’s side. Working hard, she received the honor of becoming the representative of her high school class, the entire school, about 2,000 students. She received academic honors, and her award was her first trip to the United States and Mexico when she was 15 years old.

She studied economics at The Salle University. Later, when her brother started studying, she changed her degree and ultimately graduated with her bachelors of aeronautics. When she graduated, she traveled to Ecuador to begin her career.

In August of 2008 fate brought her and Conrad Oberhill together while both staying at the infamous New Bask Hostel in Quito, Ecuador where Yury worked in the airport control tower and Conrad was an English teacher.

The following May, after moving home to Colombia, the love of her life, Nicolas (Niko) would be born. And that September Yury and Conrad were married.

In 2010, the three would move to the US and settle in Plainwell, Michigan. In 2016 her prayers were answered with the birth of a daughter Sofia, who loves dancing as much as she did.

Yury will forever be remembered for her beautiful smile, great sense of humor, and by her unwavering kindness and compassion as a person and a nurse at Bronson Hospital. Her friends would all say that she didn’t have an evil bone in her body.

Having always been a skilled seamstress, she created amazing costumes. Every year since 2015, one or both of her kids have won the costume contest award at St. Margaret’s Halloween Carnival.

Perhaps Yury’s most-liked thing in the world to do would be watching her soccer star, Niko’s games. Anyone who has ever been to a game with Yury has assuredly heard her cry out: “GO NIKO GO!!!”

In lieu of flowers, we will gratefully be accepting donations to Nicolas and Sofia’s education. Yury was three months away from completing her nursing degree. It would mean the world to her for her kids to be able to complete their education. Please make checks payable to Conrad Oberhill with “kid’s education” in the memo, to be entered into their Merrill Lynch accounts.

While visiting Yury’s webpage at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please sign the guestbook and/or share a memory with the family. The family is being assisted by Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Home; 120 S. Woodhams St. Plainwell, MI 49080 (269-685-5881).