Mary Drakos Cowley

Mary Drakos Cowley passed away at her home in Mtn, Grove, Missouri on May 7, 2023. Mary was born to Louis and Katherine Drakos on December 27, 1929 in Farmington, Utah.   She was the sixth child in a family of eight children.

Mary married Mark D. Cowley in Salt Lake City, Utah, a union that lasted 63 years.  The couple started their life together ranching in Wyoming and Utah.  After many years on the ranch in Boulder, Wyoming, they returned to Utah for a short time before moving to Nevada to work for Ellison Ranching Company, Spanish Ranch in Elko County was their first stop  before moving to Squaw Valley Ranch where Mark was the manager.  Mary often was the head cook at the ranches preparing   meals for hundreds of ranch hands.  While raising their children and helping run the ranch, she found time to enjoy many card games with the other ranch women. In 1971 Mary and Mark bought Mark’s waterhole #1 in Golconda.  While Mark was the charismatic face of the waterhole, Mary was doing all the behind scenes work that made their business a success.

After selling the Waterhole they traveled extensively in the U. S. While on this trip Mark and Mary decided to move to Missouri and make new friends and run a few cows.  Once in Missouri Mary found joy in the search of antiques, She went to many auctions, sales and barns to find the ones she wanted.   She became a well-known quilter during this time.  She made many beautiful award winning quilts for family and friends. Most of which she quilted entirely by hand.  Mary was asked to teach many others the art of quilting.  Of  course, she was also Mark’s best hired hand, helped feed and doctor cows and travel the country to trade horses and mules. The past few years she has been able to enjoy card games with her friends at Ridgecrest in Mtn. Grove and go on many adventures with her caregivers.

Mar was preceded in death by her husband Mark, Parents; Louis and Katherine, daughters, Julie and Barbara, siblings Violet, Penny, Marina, Stella, George, Steve, and great-granddaughter Taelor.

She is survived by her brother Chris Drakos, Blackfoot, ID., daughter, Louise Rackley, Mtn. Grove, son Stan and wife Jeanie Cowley , Winnemucca, grandchildren; Travis, Tara, Mark, Anita, and Elise; great-grandchildren Devon, Slayton, Antonio, Elias, Markea, and many nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held Friday, March 8, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at the Kaysville City Cemetery, 500 E. Crestwood Rd., Kaysville, Utah where she will be laid to rest next to her husband Mark and daughter Julie. A gathering will be held following the Graveside from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Lindquist's Community Center Office Building,  3434 Washington Blvd. Ogden, Utah.