Hi Jean
I was a classmate and friend of Denise in primary school and lived in the house behind yours in Lara.
I moved to Japan more than 20 years ago and lost touch with many of our young friends.
But this week Tim Fisher, another Lara PS schoolmate, is visiting Tokyo and I got to thinking about the fun times we had as kids growing up in that small, quasi-rural community.
I thought I'd track Denise down on Facebook and say hello, only to learn yesterday of your terrible loss all those years ago.
Of course I only knew her as a child, but as a child myself my memory of her is as fully formed as the personality of anyone I've met in adulthood.
She was the sweetest, kindest and most generous girl I had ever met.
My favourite memory of Denise is of her sneaking over the fence one summer night with a bag of goodies from the Melbourne Show that she brought to share with this sad little boy who for some reason or other didn't get to go to the show!
I didn't know Denise as an adult, but the moment I saw her face in the photos you shared I knew it was the same gentle and happy girl I remember.
I think this is a lovely idea to keep her memory alive and as a place for friends to pay their respects.
I hope it brings you some happiness to know even though all these have passed, Denise's memory lives on ... even in the most unexpected places.