Official Obituary of Mary A Frazee January 15, 1943 ~ March 5, 2026
Mary Frazee Obituary
Mary Billy Frazee (Passarelli), 83, of Salida, Colorado, passed away on March 5, 2026. A beloved mother, grandmother, healer, and friend, Mary lived a colorful life defined by curiosity, generosity, humor, and a spirit that could never quite be contained. The youngest of three children, Mary was born in Salida on January 15, 1943, to Ralph and Elizabeth Passarelli. She later married Eric Frazee of Salida, and together they welcomed twin daughters, Rene and Janine. For much of her life, Mary worked as an herbalist and iridologist, helping people pursue health through natural medicine. Her work touched countless lives both locally and beyond. She believed deeply in the body’s ability to heal and rarely turned anyone away, often helping simply because someone needed it. Mary was also an enthusiastic traveler and collector of stories. Her adventures became part of her legend. She once found herself accidentally locked inside a house in Indonesia while visiting her daughter, Janine, and recounted the story and laughed about it years later. While visiting her daughter Rene in the highlands of Guatemala, she experienced a bus losing its brakes and, despite speaking no Spanish, became the first person off, shouting “¡Fuego!”, as she made her escape. In Paris, she famously attempted to out-muscle the Metro doors—an encounter the Metro more than likely won, though Mary always insisted it was a close call. Raised Catholic, Mary remained deeply spiritual throughout her life, exploring traditions ranging from Catholicism to Buddhism to Native American Spirituality, and beyond. She approached faith the same way she approached life: with curiosity, openness, and a willingness to ask big questions. Mary had a generous heart, a mischievous sense of humor, and a wonderfully strong personality. Those closest to her knew that along with her wisdom and kindness came a bit of stubbornness and a talent for keeping life interesting. She was a healer, a storyteller, and occasionally a handful—but always unforgettable. Mary is survived by her former husband, Eric Frazee; daughters Rene and Janine Frazee; grandchildren Grace and Ethan McFarland; son-in-law Scott McFarland; brothers Ross and Dave Passarelli; and many nieces, nephews, dear friends, and the many people whose lives she touched. She will be remembered for her generosity, her stories, and her unwavering belief that natural medicine truly heals and that life was meant to be lived with giving, curiosity and a good sense of humor. In lieu of flowers or cards, please consider donating to your local animal shelter in her honor, as she had a lifelong love of animals.
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