Mary Lou Porak, awoke in heaven on August 15, 2022 at age 83.  She passed away peacefully at her place of residence, Cheyenne Mountain Care Center in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Mary Lou was born on September 28th, 1938, as an only child to Luther and Velma Hepler in Denver. She grew up on a poultry farm off of Colorado Boulevard in south Denver.  Mary Lou graduated from South High School in Denver in 1955. In the same year, she married Loren Laclede Porak and they had their first son Tygh.  In 1956, Mary Lou and Loren moved to Colorado Springs and went on to have three more children, Troy, Laura and Kami. Mary Lou made sure that art was a vital and inescapable part of their childhoods in which all of them found themselves in careers that had a presence of art expertise. Her oldest son Tygh, a computer designer. Her youngest son Troy, an Architectural Engineer. Mary Lou’s oldest daughter Laura, a professional artist and a long time High school Art Teacher. Kami, her youngest daughter, an owner and operator of many businesses including a food design/caterering operation.

While being a homemaker in 1973, Mary Lou did an apprenticeship with a local distinguished Interior designer. In the following year, she opened her own Interior Design firm in downtown Colorado Springs where she continued a successful business for over two decades.  She executed her talents at multiple businesses; however, her real passion was in the residential sector.   Mary Lou’s spatial placement and color is what distinguished her from all other Interior Designers. She never really did retire as she continued jobs and consulting throughout her lifetime.

Mary Lou’s hobbies included floral arrangements and her green thumb was apparent in all her gardening at home and in the community.  She was an active participant in three garden clubs, one of which she was the President.  Mary Lou loved the mountains and traveling around the world was not uncommon.  Her sense of adventure was deeply ingrained in all of her four children. 

Most of all, Mary Lou adored entertaining!  Her elegance and infectious laughter, which was full of humor and love, were always present.  

Mary Lou was predeceased by her husband, Loren and her two sons, Tygh and Troy.  Mary Lou is survived by her two daughters, Laura Porakova-Dimberio and Kami Chase (Greg and Rob, respectively).  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kayla, Beau, Sarah and Annie.

Mary Lou was loved by an immeasurable amount of people and will be forever missed.

A celebration of her life will be held at The Cliff House at Pikes Peak located at 306 Canon Ave., Manitou Springs, CO on Saturday, September 24th from 1pm – 3pm.