Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Devin Dutcher-Cowell, a beloved and beautiful soul, died unexpectedly in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at the age of 56.

Devin is survived by her mother Sheryl Dutcher; her husband of twenty years Walter Cowell; her stepson Jac Cowell; and her brother Eric Dutcher.

Devin was born on July 4, 1969 in Fayetteville, Arkansas to James A. Dutcher Jr. and Sheryl S. Hamilton. She grew up overseas, spending her early years in Thailand and then many years in Turkey before finishing high school in Italy. She graduated from Pepperdine in 1991 with a degree in advertising and public relations. Facing a grim job market at the time, she started her first company on a shoestring. As with her mother before her, they worked through much adversity to excel in their careers. As an intelligent and powerful woman, Devin was amazing at her trade. After securing a role with a major advertising agency in Tampa, she eventually bought and rebranded that company into the Dutcher Group.

In 2005, Devin married the love of her life, Walter Cowell, a wine & spirits executive. They were aligned in their love, humor, goals, and aspirations. Through intense collaboration, Devin and Walter later started their own company, Sucellus, with Devin as Chief Marketing Officer.

Devin’s infectious sense of humor endeared her to all. She had numerous cherished friends and family who held her close. Devin loved animals; a lifetime of rescuing, helping, and advocating for them. She doted on many of her own fur babies over the years in addition to helping many others.

Per Devin’s wishes to renew life, a small gathering will be held in November to place her ashes within a memorial that will be the start of a coral reef.

The family would like to thank the Tampa Police Department for their care and professionalism.

Any questions, please feel free to reach out to Walter Cowell, cell [phone redacted] and email [email redacted].

Hi, my name is Jason Poulos, and I have been a volunteer at Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) for the past three years. On September 26, 2024, severe storms caused widespread flooding and damages to the Clearwater Beach community. CMA suffered $2.5 million in damages, including the loss of vital medical equipment, destruction of the animal hospital, and damage to the manatee rehabilitation center.

100% of the funds raised will be donated directly to CMA to replace medical equipment, repair the animal hospital, and restore critical rehabilitation facilities.

As someone who works directly with CMA and has witnessed the impact of this disaster, I am dedicated to ensuring all donations go toward recovery efforts. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out."

Clearwater Marine Aquarium has also set up an official relief fund. If you'd like to learn more about their recovery efforts, please visit https://give.clearwateraquarium.org/campaign/654265/donate?c_src=website&c_src2=menu

On behalf of CMA, we appreciate your support!