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Danele Joy COUSINS
COUSINS, Dan‚le Joy, 38, of Charlottesville, Va., passed away peacefully on October 22, 2009 after battling adrenal cancer for more than five years. She was preceded in death by her father, Taylor Kie Cousins. She is survived by her son, Ayden Rain Cousins-Brown; mother, Gloria Lacy Cousins; sister, Victoria Annette Cousins; brother, Taylor Kie Cousins Jr., sister-in-law, Rebecca Monique Cousins, and their son, Taylor Kie Cousins III "Tr‚"; spirit children, Sassafras Juniper Owin-Brown, Ruis Owin-Brown, and Aurora Ember Ruth Brown; loyal and beloved companion, Mosha Fenton; devoted friend and caregiver, Ren‚e Harcum; and a multitude of other family and friends. A social worker for the City of Charlottesville, Dan‚le filled her final years as she filled all of her life, with celebration, connection, service, and love. After numerous operations to treat her cancer, Dan‚le was surrounded by countless loved ones in the last weeks of her life. A celebration of her life's journey will take place at Twin Oaks Community on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 2 p.m., 138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa, Va. 23093. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, www.hopva.org/support.php.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
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Published by Richmond Times-Dispatch on Oct. 25, 2009.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
GUEST BOOK
9 Entries
thanks to whomever kept her memorial up here...there are also many memories and thoughts being put up on danele's facebook. (it appears that someone is managing her facebook, accepting new "friends", etc. if folks want to get to see it...)love ivysarah
December 12, 2009
Annette,
I want you to know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May your memories be a comfort to you during this difficult time.
Love, Joy
I want you to know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May your memories be a comfort to you during this difficult time.
Love, Joy
November 11, 2009
It is difficult to put into words the size and beauty of the space that Danele's passing has left. Her capacity to make everyone around her feel so important, so special, and so loved is astonishing. My life was always so rich around her. She always treated me as one of her dearest friends, and I know two hundred other people feel precisely the same way. She prioritized the quality of the time she spent like no one I have ever known or even imagined - not just after her prognosis, but going back years and years.
Ayden, Gloria, Annette, T.K., Juniper, Ruis, Aurora, Renee, Devon, Erin, Kate, Mosha, and everyone else in her closest circle of family and friends: I am so sorry for your loss. She is in you. She will stay in you. Just like she will stay in me. That means we will all be okay, one way or another. My love goes out to all of us. My love goes out to Her.
Ayden, Gloria, Annette, T.K., Juniper, Ruis, Aurora, Renee, Devon, Erin, Kate, Mosha, and everyone else in her closest circle of family and friends: I am so sorry for your loss. She is in you. She will stay in you. Just like she will stay in me. That means we will all be okay, one way or another. My love goes out to all of us. My love goes out to Her.
November 10, 2009
The last time I had a long visit with Danele was when I visited her when Aidan Rain was 3 months old at William and Mary. I visited her home and we went out to lunch together with Aidan and Aidan's father. She was a natural mother to him. Danele and I lived 3 houses down from each other in elementary and middle school and we were great friends. I remember that she adored her sister and brother. I remember her parents as being very welcoming to Danele's friends. I remember Danele had a very cool water bed!!!! I remember that she and I would make up deep complicated stories that we would play out with Barbies for hours! I remember a magical snowy day/evening when we went with her Dad and walked to U of R and worked concessions during a McEnroe and "some other tennis player" game. We even got the autograph of the "some other player" before we journeyed home in the snow. I remember one night at her house melting candles on a table and playing with the wax while visiting with her Mom.
While very different in many ways, she and I had a deep rooted respect for the thoughts, questions and answers about life, and choices of each other, even if we did not always agree with them. I learned much from my friendship with her. I saw her very briefly about 6 years or so ago and we spoke of my visiting with her in Charlottesville. Then I heard through the grapevine of her cancer and got in touch with her by phone. At that point she was doing okay. She told me of the people in her life that she deeply cared for and she sounded very hopeful about her future. We spoke of visiting again, but as is the case, life moves forward and our paths never crossed. I am so thankful for the time that she was in my life. I am a more complete person because of the natural way her friendship challenged me to stretch and grow. Her son is very fortunate to have been raised by such a person. I will keep him in my prayers and all those that loved Danele as they grieve.
While very different in many ways, she and I had a deep rooted respect for the thoughts, questions and answers about life, and choices of each other, even if we did not always agree with them. I learned much from my friendship with her. I saw her very briefly about 6 years or so ago and we spoke of my visiting with her in Charlottesville. Then I heard through the grapevine of her cancer and got in touch with her by phone. At that point she was doing okay. She told me of the people in her life that she deeply cared for and she sounded very hopeful about her future. We spoke of visiting again, but as is the case, life moves forward and our paths never crossed. I am so thankful for the time that she was in my life. I am a more complete person because of the natural way her friendship challenged me to stretch and grow. Her son is very fortunate to have been raised by such a person. I will keep him in my prayers and all those that loved Danele as they grieve.
Nancy White
November 9, 2009
Much love to Ms. Annette and her family. You are in my heart, my thoughts and my prayers.
Leslie Feldman
Leslie Feldman
October 30, 2009
Danele was my first best friend....the first friend I had a deep connection with. We were 9 years old, and we were inseperable. She had such strength in her character at that young age. We stayed close for several years, and then we went our own way, but she will always be remembered as the friend who taught me about friendship. I'm so sad to hear about her untimely passing, but also glad to hear that she had so much love in her adult life.
Lauren Crawford Taylor
October 26, 2009
oh jenny...it's so true how you said it, she always talked about you with absolute love. danele loved me more than any friend ever has, and i bet many more than us feel the same. isn't it an amazing gift to have been loved and accepted so much, by the funnest girl no less.
October 25, 2009
May God bless you and your family during this time and He enable all to hold and cherish the memories.
Bob & Cheryl Walton
October 25, 2009
I don't know what I'll do for the rest of my time on earth without Danele's listening, guidance, wisdom, advice, humor, thoughtfulness. She and I were very different, but I always felt she accepted and appreciated me for who I am. We had a lot of fun. I don't know if I could ever find another friend as special as Danele. Wish we coulda been old ladies together! Love ya, Danny.
Jenny Domin
October 25, 2009