Hard to believe its been a year since you passed.  Seems like just yesterday when I learned that you had gone to Heaven. So lucky that I was able to call you my friend!!! When I go to the cemetery to visit my moms grave i make sure to go say hello to you at yours. Miss you and think of you often. 

Jade...I didn’t realize that your mother passed away. When I saw her picture I thought I knew her and then I saw your name. I am so sorry to hear about her passing. I did see her a couple of times when she worked at TJ....always asked about you. When I read the obituary I now know where you got your sparkle!! Please know that I am thinking about you and your family..... Nan Ruhl

I wrote this for Deniene a few years ago.

For Deniene

Strong of arm, Gentle of hand
Glittering hair, sparkling eye
Wistful stare, loving gaze
Quick to tears, soon to laugh
Prophetess, with wandering soul
Journeying still, finding rest.

Deniene and I became friends in 9th grade, many years ago. She was always so sweet and caring not only to me but to all around her. I was and still am a camera fanatic, taking photos of classmates and making memories to hold on to. Deniene loved to dress up and we never knew what she'd be wearing that day but we were sure she'd look great in it!!! Of course she was one of my favorites to capture on film!!! We lost touch a few years after being out of school, but thanks to Facebook we were able to reconnect.  I'm so grateful we were able to get together a couple times within the last few years!!! Most recently I chatted with her on messenger about missing my mom, who passed away in 2016. I was having a rough night when I saw her on messenger and reached out to her. I told her I still had the last bottle of my moms Avon deodorant that she bought from her, and that I open it now and then just to smell it to remind me of her. Deniene told me there was nothing wrong with that, to hang on to what ever helps me remember her. Now when I open it to smell it it will remind me of my mom and Deniene.  Love and prayers to her family and friends .

I've known Deniene all my life. We grew up together, played together when we were younger...we are family. My favorite memories are those of when we were younger. Every Sunday we all got together at Grandma's house..while I was more of a play in the dirt, get muddy with the boy cousins, she was not! So, on a lot of those warmer Sunday afternoons, I would take a break from the rough play and Deniene and I would go "tinkle our toes" in the creek. That was her phrase...and that's what we did. Sit along the creek bank and just tinkle our toes in the water. We'd laugh, talk and share dreams. When she went off to College, she came to get me for the weekend. She had an apartment by the airport and I loved just watching the planes come and go. She was kind, fun, inspirational and forever young at heart. As we grew older, got married etc...we didn't see each other often.. but when we did it was as if nothing had ever changed. She was the same young girl I "tinkled my toes" in the creek with. She sparkled, she outshined everyone in the room with her smile, her beautiful eyes and her amazing style and grace! Deniene, I love you!   I hope you have a fantastic time tinkling your toes in the creeks of heaven..it must be so beautiful! Save me a spot! 

Oh Mama. Mama, Mama, Mama. I don't even know where to start or what to write. I'm sure I'll have much more to say, and I'll be piecing together your life story over the next few days/weeks, but for now I want to leave a little something here for you.

You are the most beautiful person I have ever met in my life. You gave me life and purpose. You have always been my greatest supporter in everything I've done. You supported me when I went to college for theatre and came up onstage to proclaim, "That's my Barney!" You always encouraged me to sing and loved your "free concerts." When I introduced you to Keith and told you we were together, you gave me all of the support I needed. When I became Catholic, you had your questions but you still supported me. When I told you I wanted to pursue photography fulltime, you were sooo proud of me.

You loved to dance and sing. You loved to shop. I will never be able to go shoe shopping (or shopping at all for that matter) without thinking of how we used to pull the same shoes off the racks in our different sizes and come around the corner wearing the exact same ones without even knowing it. I'll never forget the hundreds of times, maybe even thousands, that we got dressed in the morning without seeing each other and accidentally put on the same thing or the same colors.

Oh, my mama. I miss you so much.

As I'm sitting here typing this, I'm wearing one of your sweaters and your Magie Noire perfume. I miss you so much it hurts. But I know you're watching over me and I have the most beautiful guardian angel.

You gave us kids the best years of your life, and I am so, so proud to be your daughter. You will live on in my heart forever, and I will do everything in my power to keep the promise I made to you yesterday: I will always try to love others the way you loved them, to accept people for who they are, and to teach people how to love themselves and have confidence. You taught me so many things, and I will do everything in my power to make sure your legacy lives on.

I love you so, so much, Momma. If love could've saved you, you would've lived forever.

"When you walk through a storm,
Keep your head up high,
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone." <3

There's so much to say about deniene, she always did for others, even when she had a rough time, always others and hardly ever just herself that I know of, she was beautiful, smart, confident, caring, I've known this woman since I was at least ten years old if not younger, and she was such a blessing through everything, but especially the past two years, about a year and a half ago now I went through something that significantly changed my world view and even my view about myself for awhile, and once I opened up to her about my issues, she was a constant support when I needed it, she treated me to a shopping trip and then July last year we went to eat, both times we talked about a variety of things, and one thing that will always stick with me is this, I would wonder why I may not have been good enough for this that or the other, and she took two of her vases ( I also then found out that she loved art ), and she told me that these two vases were so different, yet she loved them both for different reasons, that God shapes us all into these like clay vases, we are all unique, and that was just one of the many things she taught me and she helped me through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering, that's just who she was, a helper and a giver, and this whole world is a lot less sparkly and vibrant without her in it, I can just imagine those beautiful blue eyes with a vibrant pair of angel wings, you rock heaven girl and give my loved ones a hug for me, I'll see you on the other side <3

My friend it seems like I had known you for a very long time I remember when you did the windows for fashion bug in State College we always have time to talk of the latest fashion and what was going on in the fashion world it is so hard to believe that you’re not here with us I will forever remember your beautiful eyes your smile your kindness you went way too soon friend but I pray that you were so happy watch over your family for they need to feel your presence with them daily we will miss you

I didn't know Deniene to much we never had our mother daughters meeting .
My daughter Leanna Wolf is one Jades best friend and I only knew her mom through facebook. I felt like we knew each other for years. Deniene always had something nice to say. Man did she love shoes and sparkles and green. Jade you will always have her in your heart and her eyes you and mom very beautiful women. I will always regret that we never met in person. I know I am not your mom but if you need one I am here I know it wont be the same, but at least you know I am here for you. Prayers for you and your family.

Deniene was one of the best people I've ever met. She was so sweet and kind and just a beautiful person inside and out. She gave me my best friend and I will forever be grateful to her for that. She always treated me and my boys with love. I will never forget her dancing and singing to music at Jades engagement party. She was so full of life and she is already and will be missed by so many people. We love you Deniene! Thank you for shining your light in my life!

I knew Deniene through school and church. She was always the best dressed and sweetest person. Not only did she sparkle on the outside, but she sparkled from the inside too. She was always friendly and nice and I don't think I ever heard her say a bad thing about anyone. The last time I saw Deniene was a couple years ago at Geisinger. She came in by herself to visit a sick friend and didn't even know where to go. I went with her to the other side of the hospital to visit her friend. It was hard for her, but she wanted to show her support to her friend. That was Deniene. Always caring about others. I will miss her. But I know she is perfect and whole in Heaven and will never be sick again.

I didn't know her that well. We were 2 different people in school and that was okay. That's who we were. But I can tell you she was never mean to me in school. She would always smile at me and sometimes we would talk. And then Facebook.....It connected me with so many people from school. I loved her posts. She was always happy, smiling and doing for others. But I think the one thing that I thought was always cute....her love of shoes. Haha. She was always talking about her shoes that she had or that she wanted. You will be missed and I am sorry that I never got to know you a little better. Prayers to her friends and family. May she always live in your hearts.

Deniene, I first met you when I moved to Mifflinburg in 8th grade. When I looked around the cafeteria in middle school, you smiled and said "Come sit with us." I was unsure but your smile made us fast friends. I will cherish your sparkle, your winning personality, and how you found the beauty in everyone. And I will not forget the 10th grade year when we both had epic bike crashes that ended us up in the ER. As I'm going in, I hear the familiar voice, "that sounds like Kim King." Thank you friend of many years. Make the heavens sparkle.