Denise Genevieve Fuller Arellano

1964 - 2020

Denise Genevieve Fuller Arellano
1964 - 2020
Denise G. Arellano, 56, wife, sister, daughter, and friend died on Monday, August 10 in Boise, Idaho.
Denise was born on April 18, 1964 in Davis, California, the third of four children to Bill Lee and Virginia Leona Fuller. Denise lived in St. Helena in Napa Valley until she was eight years old, when her family moved to the farmhouse in Forest Grove, Oregon after her father purchased 125 acres that became Tualatin Vineyards. Denise loved animals, growing up surrounded by dogs, cats and horses around the farm. She and Sam, her Welsh cart pony, were 4-H state champions. She sewed her own clothes, picked strawberries to earn extra money and volunteered as a camp counselor during the summers.
Denise attended Forest Grove High School where her favorite subject was English and her teacher, Mr. O'Banion, encouraged her love of writing. She loved books and read anything she could get her hands on. She was a member of the youth legislature, an enthusiastic Brain Bowl competitor and the editor of the school newspaper. Her classmates remember her as being kind to everyone and someone who would go on to "conquer the world." Denise loved taking the bus with her friend Mari into the city, wearing her signature red beret, stopping for pastries and coffee, and lingering as long as possible at Powell's Books on Burnside. As a sophomore, her desire to travel abroad took her to Belloc in southwest France, where she was an exchange student and au pair. Denise studied French and immersed herself in the culture of the small village.
Denise's passion for writing and her drive toward social activism led her to the University of Oregon in Eugene, where she co-founded the Students for Progressive Agenda, and was a force for change in student government and a leader for social justice movements on campus. After graduating with a BA in Journalism, Denise spent two summers in Kodiak, Alaska, working salmon season in the canneries and exploring the native villages with her roommates, Molly, Laura and Anne, who became life-long friends. Denise and Laura once took a tour to a walrus sanctuary on Round Island that led them to a Russian fishing boat where they spent the evening onboard sampling vodka with the crew and practicing their Russian. She remembered her years in Alaska as magical, and the experience proved her resiliency.
Denise settled in Seattle and loved her Capitol Hill neighborhood, where she waited tables while earning her paralegal certification. She started her career at the Society of Council Representing Accused Persons (SCRAP) in Seattle, providing legal advocacy services to those in need. Always working to make the world a better place, it was here that Denise began her journey into public service and criminal justice. In 1994, Denise moved to Boise, after accepting her dream job as an Investigator with the Federal Defenders Services of Idaho that had just opened a Boise office. A positive leader, mentor and friend to colleagues across the country, Denise dedicated herself for 26 years to seeking justice for indigent people accused of criminal offenses and giving a voice to those who couldn't speak for themselves. She was honored to receive the Outstanding Federal Defender Investigator award in 2019. A life-long book lover and education advocate, Denise was proud to have started the Idaho Inmate Education Fund to build self-help libraries and fund scholarships for inmates in county jails throughout Idaho. Denise always believed that with the right help, people could turn their lives around.
Denise's husband, Dave, was the love of her life. In 1995, as Denise was leaving her apartment in the Idaho Building to go for a run, she stopped to say hello and offer help to a couple of young guys who were moving in. She ended up spending the rest of the day helping Dave Arellano and Matt Howell get moved in. Dave was immediately smitten and he eventually won her over. In the spring of 1997, on a sunset mountain bike ride off the Crestline Trail, Dave proposed. They were married on July 18, 1998 at St. John's Cathedral and created a beautiful home together in the North End. Dave and Denise shared their love of travel, culture, live music, good food and great friends. Her favorite summer activities were biking the foothill trails on their tandem mountain bike and whitewater rafting with "her man." They enjoyed paddle boarding, skiing, and snowshoeing. Denise and Dave traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America. Her favorite trips include hiking Cinque Terre, sailing in Croatia, the beaches of Porto Covo and hiking the trail to Machu Picchu in Peru for her 50th birthday. In the summer of 2019, Denise achieved her goal to walk the Camino del Norte, trekking 513 miles along the coast of the Basque region and Asturias, and ending with a chambong celebration in Santiago after 34 days on the trail. Denise was so moved by the beauty of Galicia province that she cried as she walked this stretch of the trail. She was fearless, thriving on new experiences, seeking out beauty and choosing an adventurous path rather than a smooth stretch of paved road any day.
Denise was a talented quilter and crafter; she enjoyed working out with the women at the downtown Y and hiking in the foothills, especially when the wildflowers were in full bloom; she looked forward to coffee with the Vixens every Monday morning at the Flying M, always ready to share a new podcast, interesting article or book club discovery. She was an active volunteer, arts supporter, environmental advocate, and champion for equality. Denise was a bright light, fierce advocate, peacemaker, and a wise soul who always saw the good in everyone. She made sure everyone around her knew they mattered and she loved us well. She lived a beautiful, brave life and will be dearly missed.
Denise is survived by her husband, Dave, her mother Virginia and her partner Gerard Forsman, father Bill and his wife Connie, sisters Suzanne and Joanne and her husband Paul Pierce, brother Bill Jr. and his wife Jean, niece Caitlyn, her father and mother-in-law Gus and Eileen Arellano, her brother and sister-in-law Pete and Michelle Arellano, nephews Blake, Nico and Michael, sister-in-law Johanna Arellano, sister-in-law Lisa Arellano, and her dog Sydney.
Due to current Covid-19 health concerns, a celebration of Denise's life will take place at a later date. A memorial fund to continue Denise's legacy is being set up in support of mental health care, education and substance abuse treatment for the underrepresented. Details will be shared on social media and inquiries can be sent to denise.arellano.foundation@gmail.com.