Cheryl (Lynn) Silvonek was a bubbly, happy teenager who cheered on the Jim Thorpe Area School District Olympians.

Silvonek, 54, of Upper Macungie Township, was stabbed to death and her body was discovered Sunday in South Whitehall Township.

Caleb Gregory Barnes, 20, a U.S. Army specialist 4 stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland, was arraigned Monday on homicide charges in the death of Cheryl L. Silvonek.

Silvonek was from Jim Thorpe, and her husband, David Silvonek, was from Lehighton. Cheryl was the daughter of Clark K. Sr. and Margaret E. (Watkins) Lynn of Jim Thorpe.

Her brothers include Clark K. Lynn Jr. and his wife, Tonya of Jim Thorpe, Jeffrey T. Lynn of Lehighton.

After graduating with the Class of 1978, she studied at Lehigh Carbon Community College, and worked at the Switchback Medical Center in Jim Thorpe, according to friends.

Staff there on Tuesday were too devastated to talk with a reporter.

She was an "absolutely sweet girl in Jim Thorpe High School where she was a fellow cheerleader," said Suzie McLean, who was in the same class as Silvonek's brother, Clark Lynn.

She was "always was kind, with an infectious smile. So sad. Our prayers are with her and her loved ones," McLean said.

Cheryl later married David Silvonek, and later began working as a medical secretary at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

LVHN spokesman Brian Downs released a statement saying only that "We are deeply saddened that we have lost one of our Lehigh Valley Health Network colleagues with the tragic passing of Cheryl Silvonek. We express our deepest sympathy to Cheryl's family, colleagues and friends and want them to know that they are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Former classmate Geralyn Scarpati of Jim Thorpe said that as teenagers, she and Cheryl hung out together in Jim Thorpe.

"She was such an all around fun girl. Everybody was her friend. She had such a sparkling smile," Scarpati said.

"She was also so happy-go-lucky. She was so nice to everybody, and had so many friends. She was a cheerleader, so full of Olympian spirit," she said.

A private service to celebrate her life will be held at a time convenient to the family.