Phyllis Jean Murdock Cowley, 88, of Charleston, WV, passed away peacefully on July 29, 2023, after a long battle with Dementia.

Phyllis was born in Avella, Pennsylvania on October 25, 1934 to the late Harry Hunter and Nora Rosa Murdock. .  She was a proud graduate of Charleston High School where she was a cheerleader and Homecoming Attendant. Phyllis worked for numerous years at the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. She later worked for the Prosecuting Attorney’s office and retired from the Kanawha County Commissioner’s office.  These years were some of her fondest memories and when she developed many wonderful lasting friendships.

Later in life, Phyllis gained a great appreciation for the great outdoors that the wonderful state of West Virginia has to offer spending hours walking, hiking and bird watching with friends and family. She loved helping other people and spending time with family and friends. She had a kind heart and was never a stranger to anyone, especially children. She loved being a part of the Herbert Hoover Huskies football “family” for many years.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Coach Joe Eddie Cowley.

Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Sharon Matthews of Selma, NC; son Jeff (Toni) Lester of Jupiter, FL; daughter, Kelley Lester of Sunset Beach, NC; step daughter, Susan Lynn (Matthew) Wingender of New York City; sister, Myrna Griffith of Wilmington, NC; brother, Richard (Lucky) Murdock of Melbourne, FL. She cherished her 5 grandchildren, Leah (Todd)Yates, Rachel (Brian) Goldstein, Sarah (Adam) Emanuels, Erica (Scott) Reynolds, Jake Lester and 9 great grandchildren, Abbey and Ryan Yates, Mason and Eleanora Goldstein, Addison and Aiden Emanuels, Palmer, Pierson and Price Reynolds.

A memorial service to Honor the Life of Phyllis will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Embassy Suites in Charleston, WV. A Celebration of Life reception will immediately follow from 2pm-4pm honoring this beautiful, great lady.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made in honor of Phyllis to the Dementia Society of America at  https://www.dementiasociety.org/donate.

Online condolences and memories of Phyllis may be shared by visiting https://snodgrassfuneral.com/ and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.