Audrey Cooley Fowler

Audrey Cooley FowlerAugust 24, 1929 - August 30, 2024Audrey Cooley Fowler passed away peacefully on August 30, 2024. Audrey was born on August 24, 1929 at Logan, Cache, Utah. Her parents, Marcus Robert Cooley, Jr. and Marvel Griffin lived in Newton, Utah, a small farming community. Since her older brothers served in the military during World War II, Audrey and her younger brother became their Dad’s farm hands. In high school, she enjoyed journalism and edited the school newspaper.  She attended Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University). She graduated at the top of her class with a degree in Home Economics Education and received the Citizenship Award.

Audrey married Murray E. Fowler on June 5, 1950 in the Logan, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and was married for 64 years until Murray’s death in 2014. When they moved to Ames, Iowa so that her husband could attend Veterinary School, she pursued a master’s degree in Human Nutrition at Iowa State University prior to the birth of her first child. According to her husband, “Audrey was always an excellent student and an avid reader, with a phenomenal memory. I consider her to be an intellectual, and I always knew who has the brain-power in our family.” After her husband finished Veterinary School, they moved to Van Nuys and then to Davis, CA, where they lived for almost 60 years.

Audrey volunteered in school libraries and worked at the UC Davis Cooperative Extension after her 5 children left home in order to support her lifelong pursuit of attending theater, ballet, and symphony performances. Audrey edited her husband’s numerous books and articles, and she courageously accompanied him all over the world as he devoted his life to teaching about wild animal care. Dr. Eric Miller, a co-editor for many of Murray’s books, wrote the following, “Audrey, his wife, was a behind-the-scenes hero of many of these books-she was the quiet editor who ensured that the books always included proper grammar and sentence structure!” She inspired a love of reading and the arts in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Audrey and her husband generously supported many charitable causes and contributed to the education of their children, grandchildren, and others that needed assistance, including Cambodian refugees. As a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she served diligently in many callings. She especially enjoyed singing in the church choir and serving as a temple worker at the Sacramento, CA temple. While on a mission at Nauvoo, IL, a church historical site, she performed on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Audrey will be missed by her many friends and large extended family, including her brother and sister-in-law, Noel and Molly Cooley and her sister-in-law Aileen Freckleton. Audrey is survived by her children: Alan and Aileen Fowler, Cynthia Peters, Janet and Don Alkema, Linda and Bill Allen, Patricia and Rick Craft, as well as her 15 grandchildren, and 25 great grandchildren. Her son, Gene Fowler, and her grandson, Steven Craft, preceded her in death. She spent the last 8 years of her life in Damascus, OR under the loving care of her daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Rick Craft.

A family funeral service will be held at the Smith Funeral Home in Davis, California on Saturday, September 7th. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Sacramento Zoological Society, saczoo.org or by mail, Sacramento Zoological Society, Attn: Development Department, 3930 West Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822.