Denise Connie Calabria

Denise Connie Calabria died of natural causes on October 12 in Silver Spring, MD at age 74. Born Denise Connie Kuechler in Belleville, NJ, she is survived by her two sons, Matthew and Stephen; her husband, Dominick; her brother, Tim Salerno; and her two grandchildren, Perry and Lucy.

Denise graduated from the University of Maryland, majoring in English. She enjoyed a distinguished career with New Jersey Bell for 20 years. Then, in 1990, she and her husband and two boys moved to Germany, where she worked as a secretary at her sons' elementary school in Kaiserslautern. She later served as a civilian U.S. Army Public Affairs Specialist in Kaiserslautern. From 2005 to 2006, as a civilian, she deployed to Iraq with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, providing media coverage for that country's national election and Reconstruction efforts. While there, she developed a fondness for the Iraqi people and their culture. Throughout the rest of her life, she spoke lovingly and proudly of the connections she made there. After several more years working as an Army and Navy civilian, Denise eventually retired to Silver Spring, Maryland, to spend more time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Denise will be remembered, among other high points of her life, for her ability to connect with people from all walks of life, for her outgoing personality, and for her cultural affinities that included a deep, abiding love for travel, children, fun social gatherings, knitting, gardening, and literature and reading. Denise's indomitable spirit, biting wit, and enthusiastic embrace of virtually everyone she met will live on in the hearts and memories of those she touched throughout her life. She requested that her ashes be spread in France, whose culture she adored. She was taken from us too soon, and will be dearly missed. The planning for her memorial service remains underway.

If you feel moved to make a memorial contribution in her honor, these are the causes about which she was truly passionate:

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/ukraine https://www.children.org/

https://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/

https://www.artsforlearningmd.org/donate/