Corey Lynne Burton Rowley

Tremonton, UT - Corey Rowley, a national leader in the disability rights movement lost her long battle with cancer much too soon on October 13, 2008, at age 40, surrounded by her family in Salt Lake City, UT. Ms. Rowley was a highly successful progressive voice for change and her leadership had a significant impact on the lives and rights of 54 million Americans with disabilities. Ms. Rowley served as the executive director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council and the Utah Statewide Independent Living Council. She chaired the Utah Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities and served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities AAPD and as Vice President and Chair of the Legislative and Advocacy Committee for the National Council on Independent Living NCIL. She received the 2006 Justice for All award from AAPD and the 2007 Frank Harkin Memorial Award from NCIL for her leadership.
Growing up in Fielding, Utah, she graduated from Bear River High School. After successfully surviving leukemia during her pregnancy with her second daughter in 1991, Ms. Rowley took her personal experience with disability discrimination and her vast knowledge about public policy, and led many national initiatives to increase employment, improve access to healthcare, assistive technology, voting, independent living services and supports and to increase the implementation and enforcement of civil rights protections for people with disabilities. She was especially known for her work to increase the legislative impact of grassroots organizers, youth leadership development and for initiatives that led to the inclusion of the history of disability rights in public school curriculum. In addition to her expertise in organizing, advocacy and public policy systems change, she loved history, politics and she was the life of any gathering she attended. Ms. Rowley is survived by her mother, Gwen Burton, her daughters, Amber and Alex Rowley, her granddaughter, Bella Rowley and nine brothers and sisters, Janet Call, Joan Ann Gilbert, Val Burton, Gary Burton, Cindy Richins, James Burton, Melanie Evans, Charlene Kidman and Keri Burton as well as many nieces and nephews and a wide circle of friends in every state across the US. She was preceded in death by her father William Darrell Burton Jr. She will be deeply missed but the impact of her efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities leaves a lasting legacy. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 17, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the Tremonton Stake Center, 660 North 300 East, Tremonton. Family and friends may call Thursday, October 16, 2008 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Rogers and Taylor Funeral Home, 111 North 100 East, Tremonton and Friday from 9:15–10:40 a.m. at the church. Interment at Bothwell Valley View Cemetery.