Denise Deborah Wayne was born in Northampton, MA on March 19, 1952 to Frank D. Wayne and Lucille Ruth Wayne. Denise attended the Northampton School for Girls and went on to study English at UMass Amherst and later graduating from Montana State University.
Denise built a meaningful and impactful career as a mortgage lender. Over the years, she proudly helped thousands of individuals and families achieve the dream of homeownership. She understood that a home was more than a financial decision—it was the foundation of a life.
Denise loved the outdoors and loved to travel. She cherished the memories of sneaking away from work to meet up with her children on the slopes at Big Sky, cross-country skiing at Lone Mountain Ranch, camping and fishing along the Madison River, and taking restorative “mental health days” at the beach with her kids. Later in life she had the pleasure of traveling throughout Europe with her son and his family and watching her grandchildren at swim meets throughout the country. These moments brought her great happiness.
Above all else, Denise loved her family. Her children and grandchildren were the center of her world, and her love for them was deep, unwavering, and unconditional. She was a devoted mother and grandmother whose presence will be profoundly missed.
Later in life, Denise met Tony Palano and together they shared many adventures and traveled the world. Denise introduced Tony to her love of hiking and the outdoors. Tony liked to joke that he loved to “hike to the front door of the Marriott,” a line that perfectly captured their shared humor and the joy they found in experiencing life together.
She is survived by her daughter, Sara (Tim) Gram; grandchildren, Will and Georgia Gram of Bozeman, MT; her son Karl (Jennifer) Weidhaas; granddaughter, Elizabeth Weidhaas of Salt Lake City, UT; the love of her life and partner, Tony Palano of Bradenton, FL; and a wealth of extended family and friends in New England, Montana and Florida. She will be missed by all those privileged to know her.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, February 20th from 11 to 1 pm at Robert Toale & Sons at Lakewood Ranch.
In lieu of flowers please consider making donations to: Moffit Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Research, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612 or Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, PO Box 32141, New York, NY 10087-2141