Denise (Craven) Romer

Denise was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 30, 1950. Her parents were William G. (Bill) Craven and Emily Rhoda Demchik. Bill grew up in Wilder where his father ran the company store in the coal mining town. Emily grew up in New Jersey. Bill served in the Naval Armed Guard during World War II. They met when Bill was ashore in New Jersey, and they married and moved to Wilder after Bill’s service.

     Bill completed his college education and was in law school at the University of Tennessee when she was born. Pat, her older brother had been born in Wilder.

     Denise’s father was an avid gardener, and her mother and her grandmother were great cooks. That explains why Denise was both an avid gardener both with vegetables and especially flowers, and a great cook.

     Her father had a high regard for a good education. He and his brothers had attended Webb (High) School in Bell Buckle and her older Brother Pat followed. Bill searched and they decided to send Denise to Villa Madonna Academy in Fort Mitchell Kentucky near Covington. Leaving home at 13 was hard, but she met some friends for life, and the Benedictine Sisters from St. Walburg Monastery on the campus took the little homesick girl under their wing and gave her a good education.

     Following high school, she graduated from Tennessee Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology on June 9, 1973. She completed one year at what is now the Nashville School of Law while supporting herself working as a correctional officer at the women’s prison in Nashville. Then she moved on to Cookeville and worked there as an Adult Probation and Parole Officer.

     In early 1975 April and George received the sacrament of Confirmation at St. Ann’s Church in Deer Lodge. She came with her parents and met Jim who had come to Tennessee in 1972.

     In May they began dating, became engaged on July 4th and were married in a Catholic Nuptial Mass at the Allardt Presbyterian Church on October 11, 1975.

     Following their honeymoon to Myrtle Beach and to the northeast to meet relatives, they settled in Monterey. Her dad took Jim to the law office one busy Saturday and told him that if he went to law school, he would take him on. In August 1976 after he was accepted, they moved to Lenoir City where Denise was hired as a social worker at the Loudon County Adult Activities Center. She supported them through law school. Following his graduation, in 1979 they came to Jamestown, moved to their home in Tinchtown, and Bill kept his promise.

     Shortly Denise was hired as a Junior Social Work Counselor with the Jamestown DHS office. She left in August 1981 when Michael was born and returned to become County Director in 1986 when Carrie was three years old. The best thing was they were able to keep the children home with their mother. Denise became Area Manager for Pickett, Fentress and Cumberland Counties in 1992 through 2010. She finished her career as a witness in Appeals hearings in cases such as AFDC and Food Stamps. She retired in March 2012 with over 33 years’ service with the State of Tennessee.

     A few years ago, Denise learned she had a genetic related condition known as Hemochromatosis. She worked with the doctors for several years, but it eventually caused her organs to fail a few months ago. She planned for her coming death. She wanted it all kept private and it was. In the end she wanted to die in her own bed. We took care of each other and loved each other through good times and rough spells for 46 years. I told her that she would see me through if it was I, and It was a joy for me to put my whole heart into taking care of her. She died peacefully with April and me at her side whispering it was o.k. for her to go, and to the Lord for Him to receive her in his arms. His presence was in that room.

     Along the way she took up running for exercise and with Brenda Franklin they placed second and third in the Smoky Mountain Marathon held on February 28, 1987. The children also learned to value exercise from her example. She also volunteered on the Eckerd’s Camp E-Sun-Alee for many years and for a time volunteered as Vice Chairman of the DHS Region IV Advisory Committee. She was instrumental in helping found the Catholic Church in Fentress County as part of the group that laundered, ironed, and maintained the supplies and vessels used to have mass. She was determined, dedicated and loyal. She used her training and education in her career and life to help many people.

As we promised in our wedding vows, I will love her until the end of time and hope to see her soon.   

                                                                                                                                                                      Jim Romer