Charis (Cherie) Bratt, born December 31, 1932, in Lake Placid, NY, passed on August 27, 2023, at 90. Salutatorian of her high school, she attended Syracuse University but left due to asthma issues. She worked in New York, married Peter Bratt in 1954, and they moved to Goleta, CA, in 1960 with five children. Cherie became a community advocate, fighting to preserve Lake Los Carneros and founding low-cost housing initiatives. A Santa Barbara County Planning Commissioner, she pioneered bike paths and promoted sustainable zoning. As a lichenologist, she contributed a 40,000-specimen collection to the SB Botanic Garden. Cherie’s legacy continues in conservation, family, and her contributions to Goleta