Dolores "Dodie" Ruth Cowell

In Loving Memory of Dolores “Dodie” Ruth Cowell

January 27, 1948 – October 29, 2025

If you were lucky enough to know Dodie, you knew what it felt like to be loved without condition, complimented without hesitation, and listened to with genuine care. On October 29, 2025,surrounded by her family in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, our beloved Dodie peacefully ended her battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and resilience that will live on in every heart she touched. 

Born on January 27, 1948, in Hawthorne, California, to Dave and Eunice Smith, Dodie was the kind of woman who could turn an ordinary day into something special. She was a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, but more than that, she was the quiet strength in the room, the gentle laugh after a long day, and the warm hug that reminded you everything would be okay.

Dodie’s superpower was listening. She didn’t just hear you; she saw you. Her words always kind, often funny, and sometimes exactly what you didn’t know you needed. She lifted hearts and made everyone around her feel valued and loved. She faced every challenge in life with courage, grace, and that signature spark of humor that refused to fade. She never stopped caring for others, even when she was the one who deserved the care most.

Her legacy shines brightest in her family her two children, Josh Cowell and Jolie Gonzales; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; her sister Mary; and her two loyal cats who never left her side. Her family was her proudest accomplishment and her greatest joy. She filled every visit with laughter, affection, and, of course, chicken strips because Grandma Dodie knew food was its own kind of love language.

She found beauty in the simple things: a good book, campouts with family and friends, and weekends surrounded by those she loved most. Her love was uncomplicated and abundant. It lingers now in every story told about her, every shared memory, and every smile sparked by her name.

We will celebrate her life at a later date, where family and friends can come together to honor her memory.

Rest easy, beautiful Dodie. You made this world a gentler, brighter place, just by being in it.

 As Dodie herself might have said, “Don’t be sad that I died. Be happy that I lived.”

Our family asks all who would like to share their memories of Dodie with us to please visit the guest book below.

In her memory, and in honor of her deep love for animals, donations may be made to Companions Animal Center in Hayden, Idaho, a cause she held close to her heart.