Family remembers Cheryl Macy, grandmother killed in Iowa Hill
Cheryl Macy, a former Placer County district attorney’s office employee, is being remembered by her family for her kindness, strength, and the special way she touched lives after her tragic death in her Iowa Hill home.
IOWA HILL, Calif. —
The family of Cheryl Macy, a grandmother killed in her Placer County home during a violent crime spree in Iowa Hill, is sharing memories of her life and legacy.
Macy, who worked at the Placer County district attorney’s office from 2006 to 2020, was described by her colleagues as a valued friend and beloved member of the team. Her family said she brought something special into every life she touched.
“She really cared about everybody around her and she was like that mom figure to everybody,” said Brittany Dowling, a family member.
Macy had just celebrated her 76th birthday on Saturday, one day before her life was tragically cut short.
“If they ever, you know, hear her name and stuff like that, they just think of a sweet, loving, smiling lady, you know, and not some poor victim,” said Chase Dowling, another family member.
Her granddaughter, Addison Dowling, shared a cherished memory of Macy’s unique way of expressing love. “I used to just give her, like, a hug and squeeze it tight and she used to tell me she was like, ‘nope, you have to squeeze me three times’ and I was trying to figure out why and she said it was, the ‘I love you squeeze,'” she said.
Addison added, “When you squeeze three times, it meant I love you, and I used to be like my favorite thing as something I always hold with me from her was that because she was the only person who’s ever done that and told me that.”
Her family also recalled Macy’s hardworking nature, recounting a time when she helped remove a tree from her home.
“She was just working like branch for branch, like he’d grab one, she’d grab one, he’d grab and he was like, ‘Cheryl, stop,'” Chase Dowling said.
“She was working, man. I mean, impressive and having a good time with it, too, and just sweat pouring off her and she just didn’t even care,” he added.
Loved ones said Macy’s determination and generosity were unmatched.
“Made all this food stuff and after she just got done working her butt off, you know, and it was so impressive. It was like, God, they just don’t make them like that anymore. They just don’t make humans like that anymore. That are capable of those type of things,” Chase Dowling said.
Macy came into their lives when she married “Pops,” as everyone called him. He passed away a couple of years ago.
“He was one of a kind, special guy and those two together were…They were pretty special together,” said Brittany Dowling.
Addison Dowling reflected on her grandmother’s passing, saying, “It is very heartbreaking to know how she went and how it all happened, but I do know that she’s very happy that she’s with my grandpa and it’s what she wanted was to be with him.”
Macy’s family said she embraced the Iowa Hill way of life, living off-grid and relying on generators and solar power, which shaped her into the tough, independent woman they admired.
They said they will continue to remember her for the strength, love, and joy she brought into their lives.
District Attorney speaks out
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting that Cheryl Macy worked as a legal secretary, was “beloved by all who knew her” and was “a kind and generous soul.”
After retiring in 2017, she returned to the office as a retired annuitant before retiring again in 2020.
She left “an indelible mark on our office for the better,” Gire said.
Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson described Macy as a widow, mother and grandmother, and read a statement from her family.
“She deserves so many moments in her honor for what she had to endure,” the statement said. “What happened to her is so unfair. She was such a beautiful human being that brought joy and love to so many of us.”
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