Denise Gadrow "Dee Dee" Rockefeller

Denise L. "Dee Dee" Gadrow Rockefeller Obituary The life of the party with a spirit as vast as the ocean she loved, Denise "Dee Dee" Rockefeller departed on February 4, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and resilience. Born on December 23, 1942, in Nashua, NH, Dee Dee's life was a testament to strength and adventure. A retired realtor who achieved great success in her field, she also gave back to her community as a volunteer for the Cancer Care Foundation, delivering lunches to those undergoing chemotherapy. Dee Dee was truly one of a kind.
She was known for her humor, her love of needlepoint, reading, playing bridge, and for embracing life to the fullest despite any medical challenges. She brought joy to her bridge games every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, filling the room with laughter through her quick wit and funny anecdotes. As the Travel Chairperson for the ODU/ILR, she led numerous trips, her adventurous spirit shining through in every expedition.
Above all, Dee Dee cherished her family. She shared deep bonds with her sons, Stephen, David, and William III (Andy), and his wife Julie. She was a beloved "special mom" to Judi and Ursula and a devoted grandmother to Nick, Kaleb, Taylor, Avery, Evan, Jackson, Garrison, Mackenzie, and Alexis. She also adored her great-granddaughter, Lilly. She is also survived by her sisters, Shirley Taylor and Roberta Murray (Mike), and her brother, Robert (Bobby) Gadrow. Dee Dee's love extended to her many nieces and nephews, as well as her best friend of 50 years, Susan Jones.
She was preceded in death by her father, Dorius Labbee; her mother, Constance Gadrow; her stepfather, Capt. Robert E. Gadrow; and her grandson, Nicholas (Nick) Rockefeller.
Dee Dee's spirit will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her. We invite you to share your memories or upload photos to her memorial page as a tribute to a woman who was as resilient as she was spirited and as funny as she was adventurous.
A celebration of her life will be held at 12 Noon Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Altmeyer Funeral Home, Southside Chapel with a reception to follow. You may visit her Tribute page at AltmeyerFH.com to share memories and offer condolences to the family as well as to make a charitable contribution to their preferred charity, Our Amazing Fighters.
Her faith was an important part of her life, and her family finds comfort in the words of Matthew 28:20: "And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Altmeyer Funeral Home, Southside Chapel, 5033 Rouse Drive, Virginia Beach,, Virginia is honored to serve the Rockefeller and Gadrow families. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Denise, please visit our floral store.