Denise B. Amiot

Denise B. Amiot: A Life of Love, Kindness, Friendship, and Faith
Denise Amiot, beloved sister, friend, partner, physical education teacher, volleyball coach, swimming instructor and "Auntie Denise" to many of her friends' children, passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home in Manomet on Sunday, September 7, 2025, surrounded by her loving partner James "Jimmy" Savoie, her devoted Golden Retriever, Bella Rose, dear friends and dedicated caregivers. Denise was 71 years old.
Born in Meriden, Connecticut on May 9, 1954, to the late Armand L. Amiot and Phyllis P. Amiot, Denise spent her early life with her parents and brothers JeanPaul Amiot and the late Lawrence "Larry" Amiot, in the community she loved. After graduating from Francis D. Mahoney High School in Meriden, Connecticut, Denise attended Barrington College in Rhode Island. There she formed lifelong bonds with her college friends and greatly enjoyed hosting reunion weekends at her home in Manomet each year.
After graduation from college, Denise eventually moved to Massachusetts and embarked on her career as physical education teacher in Duxbury at the Alden and Chandler Elementary Schools. There her extended family expanded with the addition of her teaching colleagues. For many years, while teaching and even after retirement, Denise gave private swimming lessons to her neighbors as well as many of her friends' children.
Another big part of Denise's life were the "Band" years. Denise was a "band wife" and the years spent with "The Music Makers",later known as "Majic", and their wives and families provided innumerable memorable moments and hilarious stories.
It was the Band that brought Denise and Paula together, and they soon became the sisters they chose for themselves. Denise was always "Auntie Denise" to Paula's children. Words cannot really describe their bond. They talked every day and shared all of their respective triumphs and tragedies. They were always there to congratulate or console one another, making the good times better and the bad times bearable.
Denise loved Golden Retrievers and over the years there was Melody, Sedona, and the lovely Bella. Paula and her husband Brian had their beloved German Shepherd rescues, Korby and then Lucas. Their dogs were like cousins, spending lots of time together especially after Paula and Brian moved from Nantucket to Plymouth. Paula's move to Plymouth also made Denise the happy recipient of years of Paula's "meals on wheels"- their nickname for Paula's delicious leftovers.
Denise also had a bond with Paula's late brother Karl Heine. It was Karl who introduced Denise to Bill which had a profound and lasting positive impact on her life for over 38 years.
Denise's life was defined by her unwavering commitment to her late mother, her many friends, and her deep love for her Goldens. Her passion for physical fitness was a lifelong pursuit, and along with her career as a physical education teacher, she loved working out, coaching volleyball, and giving swimming lessons to the children of her friends and neighbors.
Beyond her love of friends and fitness, Denise embraced life with simple joys. Always a Hippie at heart, she loved camping trips with friends, backpacking through exciting new places including Hawaii, spending time with each of her dogs, tending to her garden of vegetables and flowers, and she was a truly devoted fan of the New England Patriots. Denise was also a faithful communicant of St. Bonaventure's Church, and a firm believer in the power of prayer. Denise found delight in the small things, whether it was finding a bargain at Home Goods or TJMaxx with Paula, celebrating birthdays and going on trips with "the girls", hosting reunions for her college friends, and getting together with her former teaching colleagues. Until her late mother's death last year, Denise traveled to Connecticut to spend holidays with her mother and her mother's beloved caregiver, Hazel. In the last few years, Denise especially enjoyed spending precious moments with her partner Jimmy whether "up North" at his home in New Hampshire or at her home in Manomet. Her friends teased her about how often she lovingly referenced Jimmy in any conversation.
Denise is lovingly remembered by her brother JeanPaul Amiot and his wife Anna, her dearest friend and "sister by choice" Paula Secia and Paula's husband Brian, Denise's cherished partner James "Jimmy" Savoie, dear cousins and her extended family of countless loving friends. Denise was predeceased by her parents and her brother Lawrence "Larry" Amiot.
Funeral and Memorial Services
Visiting hours will be on Tuesday, September 23, from 4:00PM - 7:00PM at Cartmell-Davis Funeral Home, 619 State Rd., Plymouth, MA.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 24, at 11:30AM at St. Bonaventure's Church, 803 State Rd., Manomet, MA.
Burial will take place the next day on Thursday, September 25, at Notre Dame Cemetery in Fall River, MA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Helping Hands for Animals https://www.helpinghandsforpas.org/