Anita June Cowling MacFarlane

Anita June (Cowling) MacFarlane, 94, beloved mother, grandmother, and ‘godmother of the Sedona Wetlands’ passed away peacefully in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 6, 2025. After residing in Sedona and Phoenix Arizona for nearly 50 years, Anita recently relocated to Charlotte with her family.  

Born on August 3, 1930, in Huntington Park, California to the late Milton E. and Wilma A. (Bland) Cowling, Anita made her early life in California. After a graduating as a registered nurse from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in 1952, Anita married the late Dr. Eugene Lewis MacFarlane in 1956 and the two ran a family medical practice until they retired to Sedona, Arizona in 1976. A class in ornithology at Yavapai College ignited Anita’s love for birds, a dedication to ensuring more and better treatment of wildlife issues, and a commitment to protecting more of the sensitive species in the forest.  

Anita’s work ultimately led to her appointment as Mayor of Sedona, AZ while serving on Sedona City Council from 1997 through 2004. In 2002, Anita was awarded the Great Egret Award by the National Audubon Society in In recognition of her ‘many years of service to Arizona as past president of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society and founder and president of the Arizona Audubon Council, for her invaluable state-wide contributions to the defense and enhancement of Arizona's forests, water resources, wetlands, and wildlife habitats, for her indefatigable can-do spirit, and for her abiding appreciation of nature and the Audubon Mission.’ In 2005, Anita was inducted into Arizona’s Outdoor Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to wildlife and wildlife habitat in Arizona. In 2016, The Northern Arizona Audubon Society honored Anita with the Anita MacFarlane Ramada on the 27-acre wetland area Anita championed in Cornville, AZ.  

Since becoming a grandmother in 2011, Anita’s most important mission was her family. Anita is survived by her son, Andrew, his wife Heidi, and their children Claire and Robert all of Charlotte, North Carolina.  

 In keeping with Anita’s lifelong dedication to wildlife, habitats, and the environment, the family invites donations made in Anita’s honor to support children’s programs at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix, Arizona.