Cheryll and Alexander Falcone

Cheryll Langford Falcone was born in Austin, Texas, but grew up mostly in Jasper, surrounded by tall trees, creeks, and the childhood freedom she shared with her brother and sister in that rural landscape. She was pale, freckled, strawberry-blonde, green- eyed, brilliant, and endlessly curious. Books were her world—Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Good Omens were her favorites—and she could finish a novel in an hour. She loved alternative music, late-night comedy, drawing, singing every lyric perfectly, and laughing louder than anyone. 

She carried her struggles honestly, and she carried love just as strongly. She never stopped mourning the two best friends she lost—one to suicide and one to AIDS—and it fueled her fierce support for the LGBTQ+ community and the “alternative crowd” she always connected with. She supported her daughter, Alyssa Falcone, in every artistic way possible, from filling the house with comics to playing video games with her for hours. She had a master’s degree in English and could decode any metaphor without effort.

Alexander Falcone came to Texas from New York for college, studying mathematics and working with disabled students to support himself. He was funny, loud, and full of heart—proudly calling himself “a New Yorka,” even after living in Texas far longer than he ever lived up north. When Alex and Cheryll met at UT Austin, it felt like fate. They were John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John to each other, soulmates who loved walking the city, trying new restaurants, watching comedy, and cheering their daughter on in every creative thing she tried.

Together, they built a life filled with books, art, students they cared about, and a small family they loved fiercely. They helped each other through every battle—Alex’s epilepsy and childhood trauma, and Cheryll’s lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression—and still found joy in the everyday things: bookstores, long drives, late-night TV, and laughing at inside jokes they carried for decades.

We wish they could have had the retirement they earned. We all wish for more time tolaugh with them. But we are grateful for every moment and every memory, and for the love they showed so many people beyond their own family. Anyone who knew them will never forget how beautiful they were—individually and together.

Cheryll and Alex are survived by their daughter, Alyssa Falcone; Cheryll’s mother, Martha Langford; and Cheryll’s siblings, Judy Langford and William Langford.

A joint memorial service for Cheryll and Alexander will be held Saturday, December 13,2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel, 1614 S. FM 116, Copperas Cove, Texas 76522. All who knew them or loved them are welcome.