Audrey Edna Manke Cameron of Madison, Connecticut, passed away in the company of her beloved daughter, Samantha Cameron Collin (Sam), on April 26, 2026. She was 88 years old. Audrey was born on May 9, 1937, in Hartford, CT the daughter of Gustave L. Manke and Edna B. Manke.

Audrey graduated as salutatorian from Bloomfield High School in 1955 and was a proud cheerleader for the school. In 1959 she graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia with a major in mathematics and a minor in Asian studies. She quickly secured her first job with Systems Development Corporation in Santa Monica, CA, living there and on the beach in Malibu with her lifelong best friends Audrey Hittinger Katz and Mary Fredman Downing.

This job jump-started her career in systems engineering, working for IBM, EXXON, Mobil Oil, Manufacturers Hanover Trust, Chemical Bank, Chase Bank, and retiring from J.P. Morgan as Vice President, where she ran the help desk for the trading floor. One of her many career accomplishments was successfully leading the team, ensuring the smooth transition to "Y2K," helping to prevent what could have been catastrophic computer failures when the calendar flipped to the year 2000. She applied great pressure to the glass ceiling and laid the groundwork for women who follow in her footsteps. She was truly brilliant.

Her love for travel, as well as her work, took her to six continents. She didn't have many life regrets, but not getting to Antarctica was one of them! Her adventures to Europe started in her early twenties, with her last trip to England marking her 80th birthday on a girls' trip with Sam. Some of her greatest adventures around the globe included but were not limited to visiting Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Namibia, South Africa, Hong Kong, South Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. During one such adventure, Audrey lived and worked in London, where she met her husband, Guy Philip Stuart Cameron, and in Toronto, where Sam was born.

Audrey was ready to leave for fun and adventure on a moment's notice as long as she had her hot rollers, hairspray and a red lipstick, her bags were packed! She was the life of the party, commanding the conversation with friends and loved ones who were eager to hear her life stories and lessons, telling the same stories over and over with her best friends.

Beyond all these career and travel milestones, raising Sam as a single mother in New York City was her most proud accomplishment. Audrey and Sam embraced all the City had to offer, attending the ballet, theater, and baseball games as die-hard Boston Red Sox fans. They would escape the hustle and bustle of City life to enjoy their weekend home in Sherman, CT, where Audrey and Sam would garden, swim, ski, and entertain countless friends and family members.

In 1988, Audrey and Sam moved from New York City to New Canaan, CT, where Audrey endured the long commute so that they could enjoy greener pastures. Audrey was a supporter and example to all, teaching Sam and friends to drive, plan trips, conquer estate sales, wrangle a household of basset hounds while keeping a work and social calendar to rival any other.

As her body began to slow down, her mind and will did not. She relished being close to her family to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like watching Alexandra and her high school dance team perform or attending Cameron's baseball games, cheering them on from the bleachers as their number one fan. Being with Alexandra, Cameron, and their dog Gus, ideally with a lobster roll in hand, was her perfect day; they were her greatest joys and the loves of her life. The titles she was proudest of were those of Mother and Grandmother, known to all as "Ma".

In her last two weeks of life, Audrey was surrounded by friends and family who traveled from near and far. On her last day, she and her brother shared one last toast with signature Manhattans in hand. She was larger than life and is terribly missed by all that she has left behind. She is survived by her daughter Samantha and son-in-law Phillip Collin, two grandchildren, Alexandra and Cameron Collin of Southport, CT, her brother, Hugh Manke and his wife Nancy of Hamden, CT, half-brothers David, George and Peter Manke of Dottingen, Germany, nephew William Manke and his wife Lauren Keville of Brooklyn, NY and niece Elizabeth (Lisa) Kimball and her husband Sean Kimball of Cheshire, CT, eight cousins, Dottie Rustigian, Joanne Schuetz and the treasured friends of her daughter who considered Audrey a second mother.

Audrey's family wishes to thank Hannah Gabriel for the comfort and care she provided Audrey in recent months.

A memorial service will be held on June 19, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. Trinity Church 651 Pequot Ave, Southport, CT.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to The Junior League of Eastern Fairfield County or The Connecticut Audubon Society  

To share a memory or condolence, please visit Lesko Funeral Home. www.leskofuneralhome.com.