Mary Drakos Cowley passed away at her home in Mountain Grove, on May 7, 2023. Mary was born to Louis and Katherine Drakos on Dec. 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 Feb. 16, 1945, 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, Wyo., 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 four 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 a bar, Mark’s Waterhole #1 in Golconda, NV. While Mark was the charismatic face of the Waterhole, Mary was doing all the behind the scenes work that made their business a success. After selling the Waterhole they traveled extensively in the U.S. While on this trip, Mary and Mark decided to move to Missouri, make new friends, and run a few cows. Mary 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 Mountain Grove. She also went on many adventures with her devoted caregivers, who supported Mary until the end. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Mark; parents, Louis and Katherine Drakos; daughters, Julie and Barbara; siblings, Violet Rush, Penny Burch, Marina O’Donnell, Stella Thorne, George Drakos, Steve Drakos; and great granddaughter, Taellor Stearns. She is survived by her brother, Chris Drakos, Blackfoot, Idaho; daughter, Louise Rackley, Mountain Grove; son, Stan and wife, Jeannie Cowley, Winnemucca; grandchildren, Travis Stearns, Tara Rogers, Mark, Anita and Elise Cowley; great grandchildren, Devon, Slayton, and Antonio Stearns, Elias Keatts and Markea Rogers; and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life for Mary will be held at a later date. Burial will be in Kaysville, Utah next to Mark D. Cowley. Arrangements were under the direction of Elliott-Gentry-Carder Funeral Home of Cabool, MO. Online condolences may be made at www. egcfuneralhome.com.
