Earles, Audrey
EARLES, Audrey
Elizabeth
Audrey Elizabeth Earles, 85, passed away October 2, 2021, in Bradenton, Florida. She was born December 2, 1935, in the London borough of Hounslow, County of Middlesex, England, to Howard John Earles and Marie Grace Bimson Earles; she had one sibling who died before Audrey was born. Her mother died when Audrey was seven, and she was raised by her father and two close aunts.
At age 24, Audrey boarded a steamer to Sydney, Australia, to work as a nanny on an Outback sheep farm. From Australia, she later moved to New Zealand, where she boarded and worked as a server in an historic hotel until it was destroyed by fire. She returned to Australia, then moved to Nassau, Bahamas, in the mid-1960s and worked as a secretary. In 1967, Audrey moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1977. She moved to Florida in 2015 to be near friends.
As an Atlanta resident for 48 years, Audrey worked several years for Emory University, first as secretary with the School of Medicine at the former Georgia Mental Health Institute, and later as a financial planner/evaluator for Emory's Regional Training Center for Family Planning, traveling the country to open and facilitate family planning centers. In her later years, she worked with the American Cancer Society as an administrative assistant until retirement in 2005. She attended Georgia State University full-time while working full-time, and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1972, followed by an MBA degree, and continued work toward a PhD.
As a longtime member of the Decatur Great Lakes community, she was a driving force in the effort to create an historic district to protect the 1920s neighborhood from developers who were razing old homes for new development. Though the effort failed, her dedication never faltered. As an animal lover often dog sat for neighbors and volunteered at a local animal shelter, where she adopted a number of rescues. She also volunteered, along with neighbors, at the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge to cook and serve Christmas Eve dinners for cancer patients and their families away from home during the holidays. She loved gardening and classical music, was an avid reader, and was well traveled in England (returning several times to visit family), Europe, Canada, and other locations.
Audrey was preceded in death by her niece and Godchild, Joy Wotton of London, England. She has no other surviving relatives. Arrangements are through the National Cremation Society. Her ashes will be distributed by close friends at a later date. To make contributions in her memory, contact The American Cancer Society (PO Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, www.cancer.org); Planned Parenthood (www.plannedparenthood.org); or Tidewell Hospice Foundation (5955 Rand Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34238, www.tidewellfoundation.org).
