Denise often talked about some of her favorite childhood memories in and around the family home in the Village of Campbelltown and her “stomping grounds” up at Mt Greta.

In the Gallery, you can see a photo of the house where Denise grew up on Lawn Rd. She was proud of the fact that it had been built by her father and her uncles out of real wood- not “cardboard”- the term that she often used to describe modern, inferior building materials.

In recent years, a park with soccer fields has been built across from their former house. However, when Denise was growing up it was all corn fields. Why is that significant? A look at the photo of the nearby “Alger Family Barn” on nearby Horseshoe Pike helps us understand. Imagine Denise, as a child, watching them stop traffic each morning to let all the cows cross the road over into the corn fields. Then, in the evening, she’s watching the reverse process- they are stopping the traffic again so that all the cows can return to the barn for the night.

She was impressed that this “daily routine” was accomplished without the use of ropes, whips, or cattle prods. That they could graze freely with no need to be confined in stock yards or feeding pens. These early childhood experiences shaped her view of all animals and the level of loving care that she provided.

For instance, on our daily walks with 7 or more dogs no leashes or restraints were used- whenever possible; they were given lots of room to roam and all were trained to respond to a whistle, hand clap or verbal command. It was impressive to watch and learn.

Oh, a lesson learned from the barn? No animals under her care spent the night outside without proper shelter. Our house was nicknamed “the dog house or the barn”- which we got to share it with all our critters. Even the ducks spent a few nights inside, until I could build a proper shelter with enough heat to keep their water from freezing.

Yup- lots of fun memories!

Hi their, my name is Karron Fisher! I want to describe to you the kind of friend My spiritual sister was towards me! We met at our kingdom hall in Flagstaff  Arizona! I also rented from Denise and Brother Randy! Many times she was my confidant! She was the loyal friend the Bible describes in Proverbs 17:17"A true friend shows love at all times and is a sister who is born for distress! Denise was in deed that kind of friend! She was also that kind of friend too her husband and her animals! I cherished our friendship because of her kindness and her love for Jehovah God! She also proved to be the kind of friend that told it like it is! Proverbs  27:17" Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens his friend. "

Now that my feet are on the ground here in West Virginia, I finally have time to laugh, reflect and grieve the loss of my dear wife and friend Denise. All the positive comments, photos and memories that her family and friends have shared are truly appreciated and are assisting with my adjustment. A common thread that I see in your comments is her contagious smile, love for her critters and an adventurous spirit to enjoy the beauty of the world around us.

Our life together began in Virginia after the sad breakup of our previous marriages. Initially, our connection was spiritual because of a shared faith as Jehovah's Witnesses and our desire to live on earth in paradise under God's Kingdom. But, we "blamed" my youngest son, Michael, for bringing us together as a couple. He loved spending time with Nise when she lived on Nancy's farm (lots of critters there) and later at her house and shop on Rte. 522 (lots of fun with Pete, her coon hound). There were abundant walks out the back gate, through the meadows and trails over to Lake Frederick. Of course, I got invited to come along.

Speaking of invited to come along, Denise had her heart set on moving to Arizona; so it wasn't long after our marriage (May 2000) that we relocated to Flagstaff, AZ (September 2003). One of her well meaning friends innocently asked- "Are ALL the Animals Going With"? Denise responded- "Of course they are; the question is- is Randy going with"? You see, when Denise set her mind to do something, the rest of us had to catch up or get left behind. For those of you familiar with Hershey Park or other parks with roller coasters- the attendant would say- "Hold on and ENJOY the Ride." Life with Denise was a lot like that. Much more could be said- but, I will simply pause and reflect.

I have many fond memories of Denise growing up. I remember hanging out at her trailer in Winchester as a kid. We would have so much fun in service together. She always made me feel special. Denise always had a big smile & strong hug waiting for you when she saw you. And I’ll always remember her love of dogs. We will really miss her. Can’t wait to see her in paradise