Denise Estelle Piscatelli

Denise Piscatelli of Woodbury, CT passed away peacefully on March 29, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born March 27, 1936, in Waterbury, CT, Denise lived a life devoted to family, faith, and community.

A graduate of Sacred Heart high school and St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing, Denise met Bob Piscatelli on a blind date set up by life-long friends Joe and Eleanor Vincitorio. The rest would make history. Denise and Bob were married on August 31, 1959, at Blessed Sacrament church in the Bunker Hill section of Waterbury. Together they raised six children, Louis, Mary, James, Susan, Daniel, and Patrick, and sustained one another while moving from base to base during the Navy years. All those moves, each time with one or two more babies on her hip, were marked by her thriftiness, resourcefulness, and a talent for making things work. Nothing went to waste. Her ingenuity turned every need, from feeding her kids to constructing school projects, into stories which her children and friends would tell and retell. In the course of a normal day, Denise would pause to count heads and make sure all six of them were accounted for, a small but telling moment that captured how hectic and full her life was managing her family with care, persistence, and humor.

Following their cross-country adventure in the 60s, Denise, Bob, and the six kids settled in Woodbury, CT. She loved her home and the surrounding environment, full of wildlife and open fields. Denise’s gardens were spectacular. They included her father’s peonies and flowers and plants she swapped with friends, each with its own story. People walking Hurds Hill would stop to admire her work on summer evenings. She was a skilled seamstress, a creative cook, and over the years became a pretty good golfer. She wore her heart on her sleeve, giving her children center stage in their triumphs and sheltering them from their disappointments. Her persistence and “we’ll try again tomorrow” spirit was admired by those around her. After a long day, she loved sitting on the front porch with her husband, recounting the day’s adventures while watching the world go by.

A lifelong churchgoer, her Catholic faith was a source of strength and informed her purpose on this earth. She was a great supporter of St. John the Evangelist school where she put her sewing, crafting and organizational skills on display to support the school’s mission. Denise cherished many lifelong friendships, especially with Rita Valerio, Carol Romano, Susan Armbruster, Irene Belval, and Vera Segall. Denise was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Piscatelli, and her parents, Estelle and Clement Blanchard. She is survived by her sisters Claryce Guarrera and Laurye Omelia; her son Louis and his wife Vicki; her daughter Mary Brigham and her husband Phil; her son Jim and his wife Moira; her daughter Sue Risigo and her husband Larry; her son Dan and his partner Jim Morgan; her son Patrick and his wife Sarah; and by 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. A funeral mass of Christian burial was held at St. Theresa of Avila church to celebrate her life. The family thanks the caregivers at Brandywine Living for the care and attention they gave her. Denise’s life was a testament to love, service, and family, and she will be deeply missed. Memorial donations in her name may be made to EWTN, 5817 Old Leeds Rd., Irondale, AL 35210.