Mary Louise "Lou"
Friedley, 85, a former longtime Ironwood, Mich. resident, died peacefully
Sunday, May 12, 2013, surrounded by her loving family, in her apartment at the
Villa Vista in Hurley, following a brief illness. The former Mary Louise
Cunningham was born Aug. 10, 1927, in Russell, Iowa, daughter of the late
Cecil and Louise (Good) Cunningham. She attended Russell and Boone, Iowa
schools, and graduated from Boone High School in 1944. She then attended Francis
Shimer College in Illinois for one year. Lou resided in Boone and
Waterloo, Iowa, Minneapolis, and White Pine, Mich., before moving to
Ironwood in 1969, where she was employed as
a sales clerk at J.R. Warren Jewelers for several years. She also sold
and collected antiques. She was formerly active in the Ironwood Woman's Club and
the Grand View Hospital Auxiliary, and was an avid bridge player. She was a
member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Ironwood. On June 1, 1946, she
married Robert E. Friedley at the First Methodist Church in Boone. He preceded
her in death on March 13, 1974. Surviving are a son, Jim
(Jean), Ironwood Township; two daughters, Becky (Matt) Henderson, Big Bend,
Wis., and Jean (Ron) Bertolani, Andover, Minn.; seven grandchildren, Rob (Jen)
Friedley and Andy (Dani) Friedley, both of Manitowish Waters, Kimberly
Henderson, Hartford, Conn., Colin and Ross Henderson, Big Bend, Eric Skaja,
Amboy, Ill., and Taylor Skaja, Andover; four great-grandchildren, Lincoln,
Devin, Rylyn and Ellie Friedley, Manitowish Waters; two nieces, Sherry and Lisa;
and a brother-in-law, Marlan Andrews, Boone. A sincere thank you to Lou's
daughter-in-law, Jean, for her special friendship and love. Besides her parents and
husband, Lou was preceded in death by a son, Kim, on April 19, 1974;
great-granddaughter, Anika Friedley, in 2010; her sister, Jean Andrews, in
1999; and her beloved Labrador retriever, Duke, who was her special
companion for many years. Out of respect for her
wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial gathering in
celebration of Lou's life will be held Saturday, May 18, from 10 to 11 a.m, at
the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood. Luncheon will follow at
Tacconelli's in downtown Ironwood. In lieu of flowers,
memorials are preferred to Regional Hospice Services, Inc., 100 S. Mill
St., Bessemer, MI 49911. Lou's obituary can be
viewed online and condolences given to her family at
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been
entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of
Ironwood.