Born July 19, 1936 in Simonton, Texas to Annie Bell and Bennie Cockrell, Sr. Audrey was the eldest of eight children. A woman of style, sass, and charm—she was the heartbeat of every room she entered. A beloved sister, mother, granny, aunt, cousin, and friend, passed away suddenly, but peacefully, on October 22, 2024, surrounded by loved ones.

She came to Christ at an early age—baptized at Lively HopeBaptist Church in Simonton. Audrey's life was full of laughter, faith, family, and a dash of her signature humor. She was a member of Time of Celebration Ministries Church. When she became unable to attend service in person, she watched on T.V., as she LOVED "her Pastor Flowers!"

Her academic journey started at St. Nicholas Catholic School, where she developed a love for education and an insistence on good grammar. Whether it was  family, friend, or stranger, she regularly corrected one's grammar if a word was pronounced or used incorrectly. She proudly spoke of playing the alto saxophone in the A.W. Jackson High School band (Rosenberg, TX), along with her sister Dezera who played clarinet. In her senior year, she was crowned Miss A.W. Jackson 1954-1955, a testament to her charm and poise, which she exhibited throughout her life.

Her teenage years were filled with joyful activities like 4H Club meetings, creating paper dolls, and sewing clothes by hand. Audrey was a natural artist, sketching outfits with ease. During this time, she also ventured into roller skating, though her approach was more of a graceful one-foot glide versus the fast-paced on two skates. Her attempts were charmingly wobbly, much like her later bike-riding adventures. But Audrey's life was never about perfection; it was about finding joy in every moment.

She was a devoted mother to her five daughters and one son. As a widow, she sometimes worked two jobs, while attending community college, to ensure her babies were taken care of.She loved and instilled life-lessons, spoken and unspoken, in her children. Then came along her pride and joy—The Grandchildren—whom she deeply adored, and they could do NO WRONG (whispering…especially the boys 😊). She was known by her friends for her passion for helping people, her kindness, wisdom, and often serving as a pillar of strength for those around her.

Preceded in death by her parents and two brothers: BennieCockrell, Jr. and Ronald Cockrell, Sr. Audrey leaves to cherish her memories—children: Christolyn Cockrell-Carr, Michael Hughes, Melanie Rose Hughes, Cacilie Hughes, Daveda Hughes, Pamela Woodberry (Frank). Siblings: Dezera Hill, Maxine Lofton, Oscar Cockrell (Bessie), John Patrick Cockrell, Joel Cockrell, Sr. (Barbara), grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and dear friends.