Frank L. Petersmark Jr.

Frank, usually called Ted or Tex, was born July 18, 1935 in Detroit and passed away peacefully in Rochester Hills on April 29, 2020.  Predeceased by parents Frank L. Petersmark Sr. and Helen (nee McCoy) Petersmark, whom he now joins in heaven.   After a private service, Ted will be laid to rest in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan.  A memorial Mass and gathering will be held at a later date.   Always humble and friendly, Ted was the epitome of positive thinking. He was content with life’s simple pleasures and had an astounding resilience to live his life with faith. He out-lived all his 9 Lives, most notably walking away from a truck rollover on I-75 (he wasn’t wearing a seat-belt), surviving colon cancer, and being pulled from a burning car he ran into a ditch on an icy road -- along with numerous other “near-death” experiences during his interesting life. His health had been declining in recent years, but his optimistic attitude in life never wavered.   Whenever you had a conversation with Ted, he always asked about members of your family by name. He had an amazing memory and a deep interest in hearing about the lives of others, especially his grandchildren. He loved to re-tell stories of the fun times he had growing up with his siblings and cousins.   As a dad, he enjoyed coaching his kids’ sports teams, piling the players into the back of his VW van for a bumpy ride to the ball field. Detroit‘s professional sports teams – all of them – brought Ted many years of great joy and, alas, heartache.   After growing up in the city, as an adult, Ted found great enjoyment hanging out at the stables, owning a horse for a while.  He loved riding the trails, always wearing some of the most striking cowboy hats.  He loved square dancing and Western movies too.   Knowing that his kids and grands were happy and healthy is all that really mattered to Ted. He was the loving dad of Francis III (Jerilyn), Daniel (Doris), Donna Koers (the late Charles), Therese Snow (Michael), and David (Michele).   Grandpa of Caitlin (Jacob), Kyle (Sara), Christopher (Kelli), Ryan, Amber, Sean, Nicholas, Mariah, Camille, Makala, Charles, Kenneth (Sara), and Michael (Jessica).  Great-Grandpa of Kay, Abigail, Charlotte, Natalie, and Sophia.   Ted dearly loved his siblings Mary Jo Raftery (the late James), Stephen (Barbara), William (Julie), Katherine Judy (the late Robert), and Joseph (Marilyn), along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.   Ted was much loved and will be missed greatly.  If you choose to raise a glass, a pint of Guinness with a Jagermeister chaser would be a nice tribute to Ted’s German-Irish heritage, or a Singapore Sling – one of Ted’s favorites.