Amy Marie Cogdill (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Amy Marie Willrett Cogdill was born June 19, 1979 in Lake Ozark, Missouri to Gill and Kim Willrett. She passed away at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 at the age of 43 years.
Amy was raised in Lebanon, Missouri and has always loved reading. She graduated from Lebanon High School in the class of 1997. She was very active in school and had a passion for learning. She wanted to share her desire of learning and graduated in 2003 from Drury University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and began her teaching career in the Waynesville School District as a Language Arts teacher. She also continued her education at Southwest Baptist University and earned her Masters and Specialist degrees in Education, finishing in 2009. She always had a goal of being an administrator to impact as many lives as possible. In 2019, Amy achieved her career goal and began her calling as a principal at Joel E. Barber School near Lebanon.
Amy herself wrote on social media about her health, saying during Christmas break, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and would be meeting with doctors to form a treatment plan. That would not come to pass, as cancer took her life just days later.
Amy and her husband, Dax Cogdill, dated in seventh grade while at Lebanon Junior High. Fate brought them back together and within six months were married July 16, 2004. They had three beautiful daughters, Kirra Marie Cogdill, Kinley Glyndon Cogdill and Karsyn Sutton Cogdill. Her family was at the top of her world and she loved them deeply.
In addition to her husband and daughters, Amy is survived by her parents, Gill and Kim Willrett; her sister, Jessica Myers and her husband, Trevon of Bixby, Oklahoma; her sister-in-law Chantz Cravens and her husband Garrett of Phillipsburg, Missouri; her mother and father-in-law, Karmon and Sammye Cogdill of Lebanon, Missouri; her nieces and nephews, Creeden Myers, Nova Myers, Brylie Cravens and Landrye Cravens.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents.
She was loved by all and had such a wonderful relationship with the teachers and students at the school. Those at Joel E. Barber were like family to her and they all hurt when they recently learned of Amy’s cancer diagnosis.
A dear friend and colleague wrote, “Dear Amy, Today was horrible. You would have hated everything about this day. You hated being the center of attention. You hated people fussing over you. But oh, how our community came together to support your building today. Because, it is your building.
Dear, sweet friend, you are missed. You were so loved. You ARE so loved. I hope we can honor your memory by loving kids the way you did. I hope your girls never lose the sense of home they have in the walls of our school. Your loss is so great, but your legacy is even greater.”
A Celebration of Life will be held at Wall Street Cattle Company near Lebanon on Saturday, January 14, 2023 from 4 - 7 p.m. for people to share memories.
The family is requesting no flowers be sent. A memorial has been established for Amy's daughters for their education and donations may be left at the funeral home.
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