Mary Louise Aukee (Menesez) was born on November 16th, 1938, to Patricia and Frank Menesez in Los Angeles, California, the second eldest of eight.
Mary Lou spent her early years in Pomona, California, until 1952 when her family’s car broke down during a trip to Yosemite, leading them to settle in Bishop, California, captivated by its beauty.
Mary Lou started her first job counting and packing worms for Dorothy Vaughn on the banks of Bishop Creek. Even as a young girl, Mary Lou had a love and appreciation for all creatures big and small. She graduated from Bishop Union High School in 1958.
Following high school, Mary Lou briefly moved back to Pomona to study art but returned to Bishop, drawn by her love for the mountains. She started work at the Sport Shop for Mammoth Mountain, offering haircuts to employees on the side. One night while doing hair, a ski patrolman named Daryl, nicknamed “Animal,” came in needing a trim; the rest was history. They had their first date at Convict Lake and were married soon after in 1962. They started their family with their first son, Christian, born in 1963, followed by Jeffrey in 1965, Daniel in 1967, and Marc in 1969.
Mary Lou returned to work, working as a florist at June’s Forget Me Not Flower Shop, where she honed her talent for creating beautiful floral arrangements, which she continued to use throughout her life for church services, weddings, funerals, and graduations.
Raising four boys prepared her for her next adventure: starting Rainbow Preschool along with friends Stella Leonard and Faye Knecht. When Stella retired, Mary Lou took over as director until her retirement in 2002.
Her impact extended beyond education through her incredible vegetable garden that students helped to grow and care for, her chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs, her beautiful flowers, even composing original songs still cherished at the preschool today. Mary Lou inspired generations of children, including her own grandchildren, with her gentle, compassionate spirit. She delighted in encountering former preschoolers who affectionately greeted her with a warm “Teacher Mary Lou!”
After retirement, Mary Lou kept busy working alongside her husband Daryl making jewelry, which they sold throughout the Valley. Not only was she a skilled jeweler but also a talented artist, drawing and painting many treasured pieces for her family.
Saying Mary Lou had a green thumb is an understatement; her flower and vegetable gardens never ceased to amaze. She loved practicing the horticulture skills she picked up from watching and admiring her grandmother.
Mary Lou was a devout member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church; she was strong in her faith and rarely missed a service. Through her church, she made many lifelong and dear friends.
She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Daryl Aukee of Bishop; sons Christian Aukee of Bishop, Jeffrey Aukee (Staci) of Bishop, Daniel Aukee of Bishop, and Marc Aukee of Reno; grandchildren all of Bishop Christopher Aukee (Tawni), Brittin Gillespie (Todd), Ethan Aukee (Justine), Cullen Aukee, Hallie Aukee, and Jaedyn Aukee; great-grandchildren Owen Briggs, Grant Gillespie, Austin Gillespie, Layne Aukee, Kayde Aukee, and Nicole Aukee; as well as her siblings: sister Peggy Brockman of Bishop, brother Terry Menesez (Linda) of Atascadero, brother Jerry Menesez (Lynn) of Santa Barbara, sister Emily Cravy (Dan) of Atascadero, sister Pat Navas (Bruce) of Atascadero, and sister Pam Kemp (Chuck) of Atascadero; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews; and a large extended family and friends who treasured her deeply.
Mary Lou is preceded in death by her parents Patricia and Frank Menesez and her younger brother Jeffrey Menesez.
There will be a celebration of life held at The Elk’s Park on Saturday, July 27th, 2024, at 4:00 in the evening.
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