Four girlfriends of Cary murder victim Nancy Cooper have started a foundation called The Butterfly Fund to raise money for abused women and honor their lost friend.

“Nancy and Bella loved butterflies,” said Hannah Prichard, 29, who met Nancy at the gym and quickly formed a friendship. Nancy’s daughters, Bella and Katie, drew the butterfly logo — which has taken on special meaning due to a new visitor.

“After Nancy passed it seemed like there was this same huge yellow butterfly right with us,” she said.

The Butterfly Fund will have its first fundraiser on June 13 at Lifetime Fitness in Cary, hosting a black-tie evening of live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Prichard said Nancy loved to have fun and would approve of an evening where people could contribute to her memory amongst a little glitz and glamour.

It will be held poolside, where Prichard first met Nancy. “We spent every day together,” she said.

It’s been a long road for Nancy’s friends and family, who’ve become part of one of the most high profile murder cases locally in recent years.

“I get stopped on a regular basis and asked what the plans are,” said Diana Duncan, who lives across the street from where the Coopers used to live. “We just needed some time to grieve.”

Nancy was reported missing last year on July 12. Her husband, Brad, claimed she had left for an early morning jog and never came home. In the days following, Cary became a hub of national media attention as volunteers searched for the young missing mother.

On July 15, police confirmed that a body found the day before at a local construction site was Nancy Cooper’s. After months of speculation, Brad Cooper was arrested in October and charged with Nancy’s murder.

“It has been a case of domestic violence of the very worst kind,” Cary Chief of Police Pat Bazemore said at the time of the arrest.

The Butterfly Fund aims to help other women in abusive relationships. It has been something that Prichard, along with Susan Crook, Diana Duncan and Jessica Adam, wanted to do for a while, but they needed time to grieve.

“I wasn’t ready for a long time,” Prichard said.

Nancy’s Butterfly Fund will be managed by Interact, a United Way agency that has recently opened a center for abused women in Raleigh. They provide a 24-hour crisis line, counseling, court and hospital advocacy, training and a curriculum of violence prevention in Wake County schools.

“I think domestic violence is a huge problem in our area,” Prichard said. “Helping women overcome the financial obstacles they face when trying to get out of an abusive household is our goal.”

Brad Cooper’s case is still under investigation. He remains in prison awaiting a trial date. The latest movement came on April 16, when his attorneys declined to ask for a bond reduction and prosecutors said they’re still waiting on additional evidence from police. Nancy’s friends and family continue to withhold comments while the case is ongoing.

In the meantime, Nancy’s daughters are in the custody of their maternal grandparents in Canada. A bench and a local highway have been dedicated to Nancy’s memory, and her friends are hoping they can continue to make sure she’s not forgotten.

“One thing about Nancy, she just had the most amazing love for life,” said Prichard. “Had she known it would have been her last day, I don’t think there’s anything she would have done differently.”

To make a donation to Nancy's Butterfly Fund, go to interactofwake.org and select The Butterfly Fund from the drop down list on the "Donate" page. For more information, visit nancycooper.blogspot.com.