Audra Gowler, 89, died early Tuesday morning, October 23.
A woman of faith, a life-long learner, teacher and avid player of almost any game, Audra was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
The daughter of George Dewey Briggs and Lotus Martin, Audra was born April 27, 1929, at the farm between Cisco and Weldon where she grew up. She lived there or next door most of her life.
Her dream was to have a big family. After attending University of Illinois for two years, she married Carroll Eugene “Gene” Gowler. They had five girls in 4 years and 4 months (9 straight years of cloth diapers!). And that led to 7 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
Audra loved the chaos of children playing in her house, ignoring the scattered toys and projects. She was her girls’ most ardent fan, cheering them on at their musical and theatrical performances and challenging them to excel at everything from sewing and learning Bible verses to playing games and memorizing state capitals.
Everything her girls did, she did, too — as a Sunday School teacher, 4-H leader, Parent Teacher Association president, piano teacher, “walking beans” partner and coach.
She even learned to waterski — even though she feared the water — because her girls loved the sport. She simply wrapped herself in multiple vests and ski belts.
Smart and creative, Audra always looked for ways to make life more fun and interesting. She rewrote “Twas The Night Before Christmas” with family members playing star roles. Using pieces from different patterns, she created unique dresses for her daughters’ proms, weddings and the Mother-Daughter church banquets. A perfectionist, she ripped out all her girls’ sewing and knitting mistakes and made them try again so the finished results would be “perfect.”
She hosted big, boisterous family gatherings with her simple but heartwarming food (cornbread, chili, fireside tassies, deviled eggs, apple crisp, rhubarb pudding, no-bake cookies, and, always, ice cream). She knew how to stretch a meal and to make room for one more person to stay the night.
A member and treasurer of the United Methodist Women, Audra’s strong faith was a great joy to her. She always sat in the last pew to take attendance and kept meticulous records for the church for years. She led by example, not words: She cared for her mother-in-law for years, giving up her bed and bedroom, and provided a home for a great niece who needed a new environment.
Her greatest role was helping her husband battle cancer for 12 years, showing by example — once again — how to be married “in sickness and health.”
Audra and Gene were in their 50th year of marriage when he died, shortly after renewing their vows in a ceremony where all their grandchildren stood up with them.
Audra loved being a farmer, the cycles of planting and harvesting, the frenzied efforts to thwart Mother Nature, even the weeding, particularly “walking beans.” She shared many a life’s lesson in those fields, about working hard, producing results and being a good team member. Sometimes her lessons stung. Like the grandchild who expected a paycheck but got a bill for all the weeds she missed and the beans she cut.
Audra loved music, ABC books (her favorite gift), crossword puzzles, the magic of Christmas, jigsaw puzzles, bowling on Monday nights and travel.
She and her husband Gene, with their station wagon and pop-up camper, explored the country, sharing the natural wonders of the west and the historic sites of the east — and everything in between — with their daughters and some of their grandchildren. Caught between her love for staying at home on her farm and her desire to have new experiences, she did both, snorkeling in St. Maarten, hiking to waterfalls in Hawaii, dog sledding in Alaska and riding gondolas in Venice.
We will deeply miss our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. But we’re thankful to have been graced for so many years with her joy for life. We are thankful, too, for the memories she gave us that will last forever.
Audra was preceded in death by her husband and two older sisters, Georgia (Bob) Mills and Betty Abbott.
She is survived by her five daughters, Carol Jean (John) Drayton, Sandra Kay (Christopher) Wright, Vicki Sue Gowler, Patsy Lee Whitlock and Lisa Ann (Steve) Anderson; seven grandchildren, John Shannon (Jessica) Whitlock, Alarik (Megan) Wright, Paul (Sheila) Whitlock, Calandra (Brian) Jenkins, Laura (Luke) Bowman, Kristine (Barry) Miller and James (Jessica) Drayton; and 21 great grandchildren, ages 4 to 19.
She is also survived by her brother Roger (Alice) Briggs, sister Miriam (Stanley) Seevers and brother-in-law Bill Abbott.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Visitation will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Monday, October 29, 2018 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello and from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church with Rev. Tim Delaney officiating. Interment will be held in Chandler Cemetery, Cisco.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com.
A woman of faith, a life-long learner, teacher and avid player of almost any game, Audra was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
The daughter of George Dewey Briggs and Lotus Martin, Audra was born April 27, 1929, at the farm between Cisco and Weldon where she grew up. She lived there or next door most of her life.
Her dream was to have a big family. After attending University of Illinois for two years, she married Carroll Eugene “Gene” Gowler. They had five girls in 4 years and 4 months (9 straight years of cloth diapers!). And that led to 7 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
Audra loved the chaos of children playing in her house, ignoring the scattered toys and projects. She was her girls’ most ardent fan, cheering them on at their musical and theatrical performances and challenging them to excel at everything from sewing and learning Bible verses to playing games and memorizing state capitals.
Everything her girls did, she did, too — as a Sunday School teacher, 4-H leader, Parent Teacher Association president, piano teacher, “walking beans” partner and coach.
She even learned to waterski — even though she feared the water — because her girls loved the sport. She simply wrapped herself in multiple vests and ski belts.
Smart and creative, Audra always looked for ways to make life more fun and interesting. She rewrote “Twas The Night Before Christmas” with family members playing star roles. Using pieces from different patterns, she created unique dresses for her daughters’ proms, weddings and the Mother-Daughter church banquets. A perfectionist, she ripped out all her girls’ sewing and knitting mistakes and made them try again so the finished results would be “perfect.”
She hosted big, boisterous family gatherings with her simple but heartwarming food (cornbread, chili, fireside tassies, deviled eggs, apple crisp, rhubarb pudding, no-bake cookies, and, always, ice cream). She knew how to stretch a meal and to make room for one more person to stay the night.
A member and treasurer of the United Methodist Women, Audra’s strong faith was a great joy to her. She always sat in the last pew to take attendance and kept meticulous records for the church for years. She led by example, not words: She cared for her mother-in-law for years, giving up her bed and bedroom, and provided a home for a great niece who needed a new environment.
Her greatest role was helping her husband battle cancer for 12 years, showing by example — once again — how to be married “in sickness and health.”
Audra and Gene were in their 50th year of marriage when he died, shortly after renewing their vows in a ceremony where all their grandchildren stood up with them.
Audra loved being a farmer, the cycles of planting and harvesting, the frenzied efforts to thwart Mother Nature, even the weeding, particularly “walking beans.” She shared many a life’s lesson in those fields, about working hard, producing results and being a good team member. Sometimes her lessons stung. Like the grandchild who expected a paycheck but got a bill for all the weeds she missed and the beans she cut.
Audra loved music, ABC books (her favorite gift), crossword puzzles, the magic of Christmas, jigsaw puzzles, bowling on Monday nights and travel.
She and her husband Gene, with their station wagon and pop-up camper, explored the country, sharing the natural wonders of the west and the historic sites of the east — and everything in between — with their daughters and some of their grandchildren. Caught between her love for staying at home on her farm and her desire to have new experiences, she did both, snorkeling in St. Maarten, hiking to waterfalls in Hawaii, dog sledding in Alaska and riding gondolas in Venice.
We will deeply miss our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. But we’re thankful to have been graced for so many years with her joy for life. We are thankful, too, for the memories she gave us that will last forever.
Audra was preceded in death by her husband and two older sisters, Georgia (Bob) Mills and Betty Abbott.
She is survived by her five daughters, Carol Jean (John) Drayton, Sandra Kay (Christopher) Wright, Vicki Sue Gowler, Patsy Lee Whitlock and Lisa Ann (Steve) Anderson; seven grandchildren, John Shannon (Jessica) Whitlock, Alarik (Megan) Wright, Paul (Sheila) Whitlock, Calandra (Brian) Jenkins, Laura (Luke) Bowman, Kristine (Barry) Miller and James (Jessica) Drayton; and 21 great grandchildren, ages 4 to 19.
She is also survived by her brother Roger (Alice) Briggs, sister Miriam (Stanley) Seevers and brother-in-law Bill Abbott.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Visitation will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Monday, October 29, 2018 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello and from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church with Rev. Tim Delaney officiating. Interment will be held in Chandler Cemetery, Cisco.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com.
Audra Gowler, 89, died early Tuesday morning, October 23.
A woman of faith, a life-long learner, teacher and avid player of almost any game, Audra was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
The daughter of George Dewey Briggs and Lotus Martin, Audra was born April 27, 1929, at the farm between Cisco and Weldon where she grew up. She lived there or next door most of her life.
Her dream was to have a big family. After attending University of Illinois for two years, she married Carroll Eugene “Gene” Gowler. They had five girls in 4 years and 4 months (9 straight years of cloth diapers!). And that led to 7 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
Audra loved the chaos of children playing in her house, ignoring the scattered toys and projects. She was her girls’ most ardent fan, cheering them on at their musical and theatrical performances and challenging them to excel at everything from sewing and learning Bible verses to playing games and memorizing state capitals.
Everything her girls did, she did, too — as a Sunday School teacher, 4-H leader, Parent Teacher Association president, piano teacher, “walking beans” partner and coach.
She even learned to waterski — even though she feared the water — because her girls loved the sport. She simply wrapped herself in multiple vests and ski belts.
Smart and creative, Audra always looked for ways to make life more fun and interesting. She rewrote “Twas The Night Before Christmas” with family members playing star roles. Using pieces from different patterns, she created unique dresses for her daughters’ proms, weddings and the Mother-Daughter church banquets. A perfectionist, she ripped out all her girls’ sewing and knitting mistakes and made them try again so the finished results would be “perfect.”
She hosted big, boisterous family gatherings with her simple but heartwarming food (cornbread, chili, fireside tassies, deviled eggs, apple crisp, rhubarb pudding, no-bake cookies, and, always, ice cream). She knew how to stretch a meal and to make room for one more person to stay the night.
A member and treasurer of the United Methodist Women, Audra’s strong faith was a great joy to her. She always sat in the last pew to take attendance and kept meticulous records for the church for years. She led by example, not words: She cared for her mother-in-law for years, giving up her bed and bedroom, and provided a home for a great niece who needed a new environment.
Her greatest role was helping her husband battle cancer for 12 years, showing by example — once again — how to be married “in sickness and health.”
Audra and Gene were in their 50th year of marriage when he died, shortly after renewing their vows in a ceremony where all their grandchildren stood up with them.
Audra loved being a farmer, the cycles of planting and harvesting, the frenzied efforts to thwart Mother Nature, even the weeding, particularly “walking beans.” She shared many a life’s lesson in those fields, about working hard, producing results and being a good team member. Sometimes her lessons stung. Like the grandchild who expected a paycheck but got a bill for all the weeds she missed and the beans she cut.
Audra loved music, ABC books (her favorite gift), crossword puzzles, the magic of Christmas, jigsaw puzzles, bowling on Monday nights and travel.
She and her husband Gene, with their station wagon and pop-up camper, explored the country, sharing the natural wonders of the west and the historic sites of the east — and everything in between — with their daughters and some of their grandchildren. Caught between her love for staying at home on her farm and her desire to have new experiences, she did both, snorkeling in St. Maarten, hiking to waterfalls in Hawaii, dog sledding in Alaska and riding gondolas in Venice.
We will deeply miss our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. But we’re thankful to have been graced for so many years with her joy for life. We are thankful, too, for the memories she gave us that will last forever.
Audra was preceded in death by her husband and two older sisters, Georgia (Bob) Mills and Betty Abbott.
She is survived by her five daughters, Carol Jean (John) Drayton, Sandra Kay (Christopher) Wright, Vicki Sue Gowler, Patsy Lee Whitlock and Lisa Ann (Steve) Anderson; seven grandchildren, John Shannon (Jessica) Whitlock, Alarik (Megan) Wright, Paul (Sheila) Whitlock, Calandra (Brian) Jenkins, Laura (Luke) Bowman, Kristine (Barry) Miller and James (Jessica) Drayton; and 21 great grandchildren, ages 4 to 19.
She is also survived by her brother Roger (Alice) Briggs, sister Miriam (Stanley) Seevers and brother-in-law Bill Abbott.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Visitation will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Monday, October 29, 2018 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello and from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church with Rev. Tim Delaney officiating. Interment will be held in Chandler Cemetery, Cisco.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com.
A woman of faith, a life-long learner, teacher and avid player of almost any game, Audra was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
The daughter of George Dewey Briggs and Lotus Martin, Audra was born April 27, 1929, at the farm between Cisco and Weldon where she grew up. She lived there or next door most of her life.
Her dream was to have a big family. After attending University of Illinois for two years, she married Carroll Eugene “Gene” Gowler. They had five girls in 4 years and 4 months (9 straight years of cloth diapers!). And that led to 7 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
Audra loved the chaos of children playing in her house, ignoring the scattered toys and projects. She was her girls’ most ardent fan, cheering them on at their musical and theatrical performances and challenging them to excel at everything from sewing and learning Bible verses to playing games and memorizing state capitals.
Everything her girls did, she did, too — as a Sunday School teacher, 4-H leader, Parent Teacher Association president, piano teacher, “walking beans” partner and coach.
She even learned to waterski — even though she feared the water — because her girls loved the sport. She simply wrapped herself in multiple vests and ski belts.
Smart and creative, Audra always looked for ways to make life more fun and interesting. She rewrote “Twas The Night Before Christmas” with family members playing star roles. Using pieces from different patterns, she created unique dresses for her daughters’ proms, weddings and the Mother-Daughter church banquets. A perfectionist, she ripped out all her girls’ sewing and knitting mistakes and made them try again so the finished results would be “perfect.”
She hosted big, boisterous family gatherings with her simple but heartwarming food (cornbread, chili, fireside tassies, deviled eggs, apple crisp, rhubarb pudding, no-bake cookies, and, always, ice cream). She knew how to stretch a meal and to make room for one more person to stay the night.
A member and treasurer of the United Methodist Women, Audra’s strong faith was a great joy to her. She always sat in the last pew to take attendance and kept meticulous records for the church for years. She led by example, not words: She cared for her mother-in-law for years, giving up her bed and bedroom, and provided a home for a great niece who needed a new environment.
Her greatest role was helping her husband battle cancer for 12 years, showing by example — once again — how to be married “in sickness and health.”
Audra and Gene were in their 50th year of marriage when he died, shortly after renewing their vows in a ceremony where all their grandchildren stood up with them.
Audra loved being a farmer, the cycles of planting and harvesting, the frenzied efforts to thwart Mother Nature, even the weeding, particularly “walking beans.” She shared many a life’s lesson in those fields, about working hard, producing results and being a good team member. Sometimes her lessons stung. Like the grandchild who expected a paycheck but got a bill for all the weeds she missed and the beans she cut.
Audra loved music, ABC books (her favorite gift), crossword puzzles, the magic of Christmas, jigsaw puzzles, bowling on Monday nights and travel.
She and her husband Gene, with their station wagon and pop-up camper, explored the country, sharing the natural wonders of the west and the historic sites of the east — and everything in between — with their daughters and some of their grandchildren. Caught between her love for staying at home on her farm and her desire to have new experiences, she did both, snorkeling in St. Maarten, hiking to waterfalls in Hawaii, dog sledding in Alaska and riding gondolas in Venice.
We will deeply miss our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. But we’re thankful to have been graced for so many years with her joy for life. We are thankful, too, for the memories she gave us that will last forever.
Audra was preceded in death by her husband and two older sisters, Georgia (Bob) Mills and Betty Abbott.
She is survived by her five daughters, Carol Jean (John) Drayton, Sandra Kay (Christopher) Wright, Vicki Sue Gowler, Patsy Lee Whitlock and Lisa Ann (Steve) Anderson; seven grandchildren, John Shannon (Jessica) Whitlock, Alarik (Megan) Wright, Paul (Sheila) Whitlock, Calandra (Brian) Jenkins, Laura (Luke) Bowman, Kristine (Barry) Miller and James (Jessica) Drayton; and 21 great grandchildren, ages 4 to 19.
She is also survived by her brother Roger (Alice) Briggs, sister Miriam (Stanley) Seevers and brother-in-law Bill Abbott.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Visitation will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Monday, October 29, 2018 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello and from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the Cisco United Methodist Church with Rev. Tim Delaney officiating. Interment will be held in Chandler Cemetery, Cisco.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com.
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