ForeverMissed
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Welcome to Hedy's Memorial Page!
Glad you came to visit. 

Beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, and friend - she was taken from us too soon and unexpectedly. She was the center of our family, and the ringleader of her group of friends in Florida. She was memorable to everyone who met her. Please take a moment and share a thought, story, or photo so we can collectively celebrate her life.

Donation Information

Hedy loved animals and was a frequent donor to her local Humane Society.
If you would like to donate in her name, below is the mailing address. They also accept donations via PayPal. If they get enough donations, I'm hoping they can name an adoptable animal after her. (Update: They did name a cute little cat after her - see the kitty here). 
Humane Society of the Nature Coast
PO Box 10328
Brooksville, FL 34603

PayPal Link: https://humanerescue.org/give/
When you go to PayPal, choose 'memorial donation' and put Hedy Denenkamp in the special note section. Also, if you send a check, write Memorial: Hedy Denenkamp in the memo.

Celebration of Life

A Celebration of Life was held via ZOOM on her birthday, May 15, 2021.
The entire ceremony is viewable by clicking below.

https://www.forevermissed.com/hedy-denenkamp/galle...

December 12, 2023
December 12, 2023
It's true, what they say: “Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us everyday. Unseen, unheard, but always near,
so loved, so missed, so very dear.”

It's been an odd and hard 3 years without Mama D physically with us. I find great comfort visiting her gnome garden and also talking to her often, sharing memories, playing games, eating pretzels (not as good as hers) and hearing her voice in my mind. Missing you Mama D! Always in my heart.
June 2, 2021
June 2, 2021
“OK Sure”- A Poem written to honor Mama D
by Wendy Osborne, Kelly Somer, and Jen Bloom and read at Hedy's Celebration of Life


Everyone’s friend and Mama D to us all,
Together, it was certain, we’d have a ball,
Elbow to elbow and side by side,
In our chosen “framily”, a member of our tribe.

Whether road trips or seeing a National Park
She enjoyed an adventure, any good lark
Mama D was up for almost anything
Saying “Yeah Sure I’ll go” even to kayaking!

One time in Florida we visited Mama D
In her home, Michelle’s old room, we got to see...
Then off we went to a show us three,
The famous mermaids at Weeki Wachee!

She was competitive always up for a game,
From Milles Borne to Wii, she never was tame.
Playing until late in the night,
To win the wager, she put up a good fight.

We loved her easy going way,
At her turn in poker? What would she say?
“Yeah, Ok Sure I’ll play”
And she was most likely a winner on any given day

She was one of the gang
Wherever it was, she could totally hang
Some Club O weekends she attended
and our pals she quickly befriended.

She loved to visit Lake Tahoe
With the family to gather
But off to the casino she’d go
Playing the slots she would rather
...ok, sure, I’ll play

Rouladin and spaetzle
made any holiday complete.
But her amazing German pretzels
were what we all wanted to eat.

We will always hear her voice and see the twinkle in her eyes,
“Laugh and live” she’d say today, “no one cries”.
We were so lucky to have Our Mama D
Whose unconditional love was a guarantee

“Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us everyday. 
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
so loved, so missed, so very dear.”

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Recent Tributes
December 12, 2023
December 12, 2023
It's true, what they say: “Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us everyday. Unseen, unheard, but always near,
so loved, so missed, so very dear.”

It's been an odd and hard 3 years without Mama D physically with us. I find great comfort visiting her gnome garden and also talking to her often, sharing memories, playing games, eating pretzels (not as good as hers) and hearing her voice in my mind. Missing you Mama D! Always in my heart.
June 2, 2021
June 2, 2021
“OK Sure”- A Poem written to honor Mama D
by Wendy Osborne, Kelly Somer, and Jen Bloom and read at Hedy's Celebration of Life


Everyone’s friend and Mama D to us all,
Together, it was certain, we’d have a ball,
Elbow to elbow and side by side,
In our chosen “framily”, a member of our tribe.

Whether road trips or seeing a National Park
She enjoyed an adventure, any good lark
Mama D was up for almost anything
Saying “Yeah Sure I’ll go” even to kayaking!

One time in Florida we visited Mama D
In her home, Michelle’s old room, we got to see...
Then off we went to a show us three,
The famous mermaids at Weeki Wachee!

She was competitive always up for a game,
From Milles Borne to Wii, she never was tame.
Playing until late in the night,
To win the wager, she put up a good fight.

We loved her easy going way,
At her turn in poker? What would she say?
“Yeah, Ok Sure I’ll play”
And she was most likely a winner on any given day

She was one of the gang
Wherever it was, she could totally hang
Some Club O weekends she attended
and our pals she quickly befriended.

She loved to visit Lake Tahoe
With the family to gather
But off to the casino she’d go
Playing the slots she would rather
...ok, sure, I’ll play

Rouladin and spaetzle
made any holiday complete.
But her amazing German pretzels
were what we all wanted to eat.

We will always hear her voice and see the twinkle in her eyes,
“Laugh and live” she’d say today, “no one cries”.
We were so lucky to have Our Mama D
Whose unconditional love was a guarantee

“Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us everyday. 
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
so loved, so missed, so very dear.”

Her Life

Early Years

April 26, 2021
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Hedy was born in Ulm, Germany in May, 1938. She was originally named Hedwig (after her mother), but she very much disliked the name and legally changed it to Hedy. She had an older sister, Marianne (Tante). They grew up during World War II. Times were tough, and their dad frequently visited the farms outside of the city to see if they had any spare food. Many parts of the city were bombed to rubble. After the war ended, mom said she was happy her city went to the Americans. She said the soldiers were very nice and used to give them candy. Eventually, Marianne emigrated to the United States with her husband, and Hedy soon followed. She left Germany in 1957 with her cousin Mathilda, and sailed over on the Holland America Cruiseship 'Statendam'. She arrived in the United States on her birthday in 1957 and moved to Ridgewood, NY. She got a job in a photography studio in Manhattan despite not knowing any English when she first arrived. 

Friends & Family

May 26, 2021
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In 1959, Hedy met Fred at a German dance on Long Island. It was love at first sight. They were married in September 1960. They drove from New York to Miami Beach for their honeymoon. In 1961, Fred Jr was born. In 1968, Michelle was born. Hedy's sister Marianne and her husband lived just down the street so Fred Jr and Michelle basically had 2 sets of parents growing up. Hedy's father and stepmother came over a few times from Germany to visit. The family expanded to 2 granddaughters, Kristina & Deanna, who she loved very much. We welcomed Chris into the family in 2019. The extended family included many German friends that were lifelong friends - Tante Lotte & Uncle Wolfgang, Tante Mina & Uncle Alfred - they all eventually moved from Long Island to the same town in Florida. She was also close with her cousin Matilda who came with her from Germany, also lived in Spring Hill, and who, sadly, also died in the same accident. She also had some family in Germany and was considered 'mom' to her fan base in California.

Working Life

May 27, 2021
Hedy worked at a photo lab in Germany when she was young. When she came to America, she was very proud to get a job in Manhattan, also working at a photo lab, while all of her girlfriends were working as seamstresses at a factory on Long Island. When she moved to Suffolk County, she raised her children, and maybe had a part time job in the cafeteria at one of the schools, but don't quote me on that. For many years, she and Fred along with her sister and brother-in-law operated a motel on Route 112 in Patchogue called The Halfway Motel. Many holidays and birthdays were celebrated there. When the family moved to Venice, Florida in 1980, she and Fred bought a boutique shop called the Greenwich Village Boutique that sold t-shirts and all sorts of strange novelty gifts. Upon moving back to Long Island in 1983, she single-handedly ran another clothing/t-shirt shop in Port Jefferson called Shirt Tales. Then, they moved back to Florida in 1988 and she bought a clothing store called the Fashion Warehouse that sold all sorts of ladies fashion items. When she sold that store, she worked in Spring Hill at Scrubs Plus, a place that sold, well, scrubs. She very much loved interacting with people and worked hard all her life, but still managed to have dinner on the table for her family every night.
Recent stories

Hedy The Cat

July 31, 2021
The Humane Society of the Nature Coast called me to say they named a cute little kitty after mom - a friendly little white girl cat with big green eyes. I just checked back on their website and it seems Hedy has been adopted already (of course!). 

If you still haven't and can, please consider donating in her name - they are a super organization. 

https://humanerescue.org/give/



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