Celebrating the Life of
Denise McCuistion
September 21, 1964 — August 31, 2024
Obituary
Denise Carolyn Bassetti McCuistion passed away on August 31st, 2024 after a six-month battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her daughters in the beautiful home she built in Gloucester, Virginia.
Denise was born on September 21, 1964 to George Joseph Bassetti and Sharon Rose DeClerico. She was raised by her beloved Grandpop, Louis DeClerico, in Hopewell, New Jersey. In her 20s, Denise moved across the country to California and started a family. She had four daughters – Ashley, Kayla, Lindsey, and Nicole – who she dedicated her life to raising with as much love, joy, laughter, and adventure as possible.
Denise loved to travel and explore new places, and was constantly planning trips with her daughters and friends. No one who knew her ever experienced boredom in her presence. At home, she kept herself busy with a seemingly endless stream of projects – designing and constructing new rooms in the house, Japanese and English gardens in the back yard, and a greenhouse where she could grow citrus and olive trees. She also loved to sew, paint, read, and cook. Denise was a woman of many talents who never turned away an opportunity to learn something new.
Denise earned her bachelor’s degree from Utah Valley University and her master’s degree from the College of William & Mary while raising her children as a single parent. She fed her passion for helping others by working as a school counselor, serving the Mathews community for 13 years at Thomas Hunter Middle School and the West Point community at West Point Elementary since last fall. Denise impacted the lives of countless students and parents through this work, offering guidance, support, laughter, and unconditional love to anyone who walked through her door.
Denise had a smile that could light up any space and was a constant source of joy, comfort, and inspiration to all who knew her. To her daughters, she was the most beautiful, brilliant, strong, silly, kind, and powerful person in the world, and they will carry her legacy proudly throughout their lives.
Friends and family are invited to join Denise’s daughters at their home for a Celebration of Life on September 21, 2024. Guests may come for as long as they would like between 12:00pm and 4:00pm. Because she hated funerals and never wanted anyone to be sad, guests are encouraged to wear Denise’s favorite colors – green and yellow – and come with plenty of fond memories to share.
Services
Memorial Service (In-Person)
Saturday, September 21, 2024, 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Eastern Time
8385 Patrick Henry Way, Gloucester, VA 23061
Friends and family are invited to join Denise's daughters at their home for a Celebration of Life on what would have been her 60th birthday. The service will be held in the back yard among the gardens Denise lovingly built. Guests may come for as long as they would like between 12pm and 4pm. Because she hated funerals and never wanted anyone to be sad, we encourage everyone to wear her favorite colors - green and yellow - and come with plenty of fond memories to share.
Memories and Condolences
Please share a photo or video, or post a heartfelt condolence to the family.
Denise was like a second mother to me. She supported me as if I was another daughter and I am forever grateful for the advice and love that she shared with me. She was there for a lot of big moments in my life, good and bad. She was a pillar for her daughters and it was incredible to watch her strength, perseverance, wit, joy, and love. I will miss her so much ♥️
At a wedding for Ashley + Denise’s cousins. Isn’t she the cutest?!
You are remembered like the water, the earth, the sun, the wind, and all the life that visits this garden..on this day when planting for you… a beautiful white heron and a happy little hummingbird came down to say hello. ♥️🐝🙏😇
Not too long ago, Mom had decided she wanted to build a green house. She was so excited and I was able to help her. She even came up with a project for us to each make a mosaic stepping stone.
Every year, for Christmas, Mom would come up with a fun activity for us to do. Last year, we did a paint by numbers with a charcuterie board. It was so much fun and I hold the memory close to my heart
Such a sweet memory of a trip Denise and I took to Wintergreen to see an outdoor production of “The Sound of Music”. We laughed lots as the fog was so thick you wouldn’t even have known we were in the mountains! My fondest memories of Denise are of the many years we worked side-by-side at THMS. Her professionalism and dedication to her job were outstanding. But above all else, her love for the students and desire to go above and beyond to give guidance, love and support was amazing. She was so proud of her daughters. May the Lord be their strength, peace and comfort.
A memory I hold dear is when mom and I went out to a pond and painted together. Mom loved painting and I am so happy I got to do this with her.
One of our favorite things to do was go to the Scottish Festival. I will never forget how much fun we had at this last one.
Me and Mom on an adventure in Philadelphia. We both had a special bond with this city, and this was my all-time favorite trip there.
My mom was the most beautiful person in the world - inside and out.
Mom and our big sweet dog, Tobi. She loved Tobi almost as much as she loved us.
In 2019 I got to show my mom around my favorite city - Lisbon. I've gone almost every year for the past decade, but this was my absolute favorite trip.
Me and Mom at a hotel in Uniontown, PA. She drove up and hiked around the mountains with me for a whole weekend just to help with a thesis project.
We love waking up to snow on Christmas but it rarely snows in December where we live, so every year on Christmas Eve, mom would find a way to make it snow. This year she drove us to Yankee Candle and had us stand in a specific place just before the snow machine came on to surprise us.
Me and mom on a weekend adventure to New York City. We started going on trips like this together when I was barely a teenager, and I looked forward to them more and more every year.
Mom and her girls on a family trip to Cuba. If we ever expressed an interest in going somewhere, mom would find a way to make it happen.
Every year mom would wait for us at the finish line of the Blue Talon Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning with the biggest, proudest smile.
My mom had such a rich passion for life and an insatiable love of adventure. Her solo trip across Italy was a dream fulfilled.
My mom was raised by her grandpop in New Jersey. She absolutely adored him. Many years ago she gave me the necklace he gave her in this photo, and it is one of the most important things I own.
My mom earned her master's degree from William & Mary while raising all four of us, and loved every single second of it. Her passion inspired all of us to follow in her footsteps. We were so incredibly proud of her that day.
I will never be more proud than I was at my college graduation, because my mom was so incredibly proud of me. I would never have done it without her inspiration and support. <3
One year, Kayla and I surprised my mom with a sunset sail on the Alliance for her birthday. She was so incredibly happy.
Every year after Thanksgiving we visit Christmas Town at Busch Gardens and ride the train to see the lights.
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