Mary Lou Frankhouser

Mary Lou Frankhouser, 88, of Aurora Colorado, passed away peacefully on August 17th, 2026.

Mary Lou grew up in the northern Michigan town of Petoskey, which has a beautiful sunset view of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. She graduated from Petoskey High School and attended Michigan State University.

She met “Jake” (aka John R.) in Detroit in 1965. In 1967 she made a very brave solo move to Castle Rock CO to apprentice with Henry Mead, who was a locally known ceramicist. After graduate school, Jake moved to Colorado to be with Mary Lou. They married in 1968 at Henry Mead’s home and Studio in Castle Rock overlooking a stunning, 180-degree view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountain.

On September 14, 2026, they would have been married for 58 years.

Mary Lou was born to Mario Benedetti and Virgina Irene Brill in Petoskey Michigan on March 4, 1938. She is loved by the Brill and the Benedetti families and the many aunts and uncles.

She loved making pottery and being creative in all things.

Mary Lou will be especially missed by her husband, goddaughter Michelle Davis, her son Ishan, families of her nephews Jason (Joannah) and Gregory Frankhouser, Suzanne Benedetti Lehsten (Barry), Cousin Connie (David) Molesta and many other cousins, acquaintances and friends in Michigan, Colorado and Ohio.

Private services and burial will be at the Maple River Township Cemetery in Brutus Michigan amid the Fall Color of Northern Michigan.

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