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Neil Frankenhauser Obituary

(News story) LIMA, Ohio - Neil P. Frankenhauser, a Toledo-based artist and teacher whose expressive paintings have been displayed by hundreds of collectors and institutions across the country, died Sept. 18 while in hospice care at Mercy Health St. Rita's Hospital in Lima. He was 79.

His health was declining over the past year after he suffered a stroke, son Nicholas Frankenhauser said.

While he taught art at several universities across the country, Neil Frankenhauser was known for his own creations that had eye-popping-colors, said his girlfriend, Terry Blackhawk. She described him as a creative, affectionate, and authentic person.

"He has a wide range of topics, themes. You just go into his paintings and you feel like you're in something. They feel like they're pulling you in," said Ms. Blackhawk, the author of several collections of poetry and founder of Detroit's InsideOut Literary Art Project.

Ms. Blackhawk said some of her most recent work was inspired by Mr. Frankenhauser, and the cover of her book One Less River includes one of his paintings.

Mr. Frankenhauser's work is also displayed across the country and in Toledo, including two large murals at the Toledo Zoo.

The first mural of a misty rainforest scene was completed in the reptile house, his son said. At the former carnivore house, now a cafe, Mr. Frankenhauser painted various jungle scenes in the cage areas, his son said.

The artist enjoyed painting landscapes and landmarks of the Toledo area, but his favorite painting spot was on the river at Sidecut Park, where he would sit for hours to observe and paint the scenery, Nicholas Frankenhauser said.

"He was really a talented artist," the son said. "His work really speaks to people who enjoy nature scenes, but it wasn't photo realistic, it all has that expressive element in there, that not everyone connects with. He was an artist, that was his self."

Individual works also are owned by more than 200 private collectors and institutions including Luther College in Decorah, Iowa; Cathage College in Kenosha, Wis.; Evansville Museum, in Evansville, Ind.; Cleveland Art Association; Owens-Illinois Executive Collection; Toledo Trust Collection; and the Toledo Federation of Art Collection.

Mr. Frankenhauser exhibited in more than 130 regional and national exhibitions since 1961 and he won more than 25 awards throughout his 51-year career. He participated in 35 group invitational exhibitions since 1965 and held 75 solo exhibitions since 1961, including a 1987 exhibit with Kay Weprin called "Earth and Myth: Real and Imagined."

Born Dec. 22, 1939, in Chicago to Theodore Frankenhauser and Agnes Heppner, he moved with his family to Toledo when he was 4 years old and grew up in South Toledo, graduating Central Catholic High School in 1958.

"My first canvas was a wall, a freshly painted wall that my father had done. I took it to mean that he had done it for me. So apparently, my first subject matter was a burning house," Mr. Frankenhauser said in a 2016 'Eye on Art' interview with Matthew Mickel. "I must have seen it someplace. My mother was thrilled because it was such a nice drawing of a burning house. My dad, on the other hand, was not so thrilled because he had just freshly painted the wall."

He graduated Bowling Green State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree and completed his education with a master of arts and a master of fine arts from the University of Iowa.

After he obtained his Iowa degrees, Nicholas Frankenhauser said, Mr. Frankhauser received several job offers to teach art history, but the artist turned them down.

"He thought teaching art history was the most boring thing. He loved teaching the hands-on," the son said.

Mr. Frankenhauser instead took a job as an administrative assistant at the University of Wisconsin and was later hired to teach full time at Western Kentucky University, where he discovered his love for painting landscapes, his son said.

After three years, he then took a job at the University of Akron, where he spent eight years. He then moved to California to teach at Fresno City College for about a year.

After the year in Fresno was when he returned to Toledo to the University of Toledo, the Toledo Museum of Art, and the Monroe Community College Whitman Center.

"His painting was always described as his self-expression. He always said he never painted for anyone else. That's one reason he felt he was successful commercially because he didn't paint things that he knew would sell, he painted things that he wanted to paint. If he sold a painting, that was great, but he wasn't willing to compromise what he felt his artistic expression was for money," Nicholas Frankenhauser said. "He was an excellent art teacher as well, he really loved it."

Mr. Frankenhauser is survived by a former wife, Laura Gretzinger; his sons, Nicholas and Nels Frankenhauser; daughter, Heidi Frankenhauser; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother and two ex-wives.

A memorial art show will be held at a later date. Notes of condolences and tributes for the art show may be sent to the Miller Funeral Home, 1605 Celina Road, St. Marys, OH 45885.

This is a news story by Allison Dunn. Contact her at [email protected] or 419-724-2134.
Published by The Blade on Oct. 7, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for Neil Frankenhauser

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9 Entries

Jennifer West

February 25, 2021

I just learned of Neil's death. I was a student of his in the 1980's in Toledo. I have 2 of his paintings in my home. My condolences to his children.

Steve Bishop

October 7, 2019

Steve Bishop

October 7, 2019

Steve Bishop

October 7, 2019

Karen Petersen

October 7, 2019

Neil touched so many lives over the years with his teaching abilities. He was especially delighted when one of he students found a previously unknown talent. He encouraged his students to try new techniques, and to look at our world with a new eye for shape, color and shadows. Playing classical music while we worked...he told jokes to keep things lively. He will be remembered by so many . Sail on, Neil, we will miss you!

Marcy Kaptur

October 7, 2019

To the dear Frankenhauser family-

On behalf of the Kaptur family, and especially my brother Stephen and myself, we wish to express deepest sympathy to the family and friends of our dear neighbor of many years, Neil. We are very sorry for your loss and for the illness he endured so stalwartly for many years. Please know we will remember him for his quiet lifestyle and dedication to the arts, including repairing an oil painting that we treasure that had been damaged in shipment. We also enjoyed his easy humor and never saw him out of sorts but once when some out of control children were beating up our driveway with skateboards. We appreciated his intervention. He would have none of that roughhouse. Another time, we observed at least three chipper skunks in a single line heading out for lunch from under his front porch. When we informed him later that he had new guests living under his house, and we'd better do something about it, he said he doesn't pay any attention to them and that they would go away. Amazingly, they actually did.

We who live in Reynolds Corners near Common Space Arts Center, where Neil had frequented, will remember him as a friendly and enjoyable neighbor. He was a quiet presence.

May the angels carry him very high to a place where peace reigns eternal.

With fond memories of Neil and comforting thoughts for Neil's family,

Stephen Kaptur and
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur
Toledo

Christopher Werkman

October 7, 2019

It's with sadness I read of Neil's death. My sincere condolences to his family and all who were fortunate to know him. I am ten years younger than Neil, but I have memories of him when we were both children living on Durango Drive in South Toledo. We shared many laughs together over memories of those times. One of my favorite stories Neil related involved using a tree branch or some such to pin (hold down) the horn ring found on pre-70's cars in the middle of the night. There was a rash of that on Durango back in the early 50's, and according to Neil, my father's car was a target. Apparently my father decided to sleep in the back seat of his prized Pontiac convertible one night, the very night Neil decided to pin his horn. Neil said the shock of my father grabbing his arm when he reached in through the open driver's side window was something he would never forget. Neil is a man I'll never forget. When our paths crossed, it was always all good. I so admired Neil and his art.

Evie Deselms

October 6, 2019

Many of his students at the Monroe Community College Whitman Center will miss him; we all learned so much from him, and enjoyed his many stories of things he's done during his life. He was more than just a teacher to me; we became friends and shared things from our lives, so it was a special relationship for me. My sympathy goes to the family and his friends.

kathye zaper

October 5, 2019

To The Family,
I was very Saddened to read this, I have know Neil a long time, We did many business transactions together, he was a good and loyal friend to me, Heaven has gained a talented Artist, my thoughts and Prayers to the Family....My sincere Sympathy,

Kathye Zaper

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Miller Funeral Home - St. Marys

1605 Celina Rd., Saint Marys, OH 45885

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