Former Riverhead Kindergarten Teacher Jacqueline W. Denis Remembered

Jacqueline W. Denis, of Southampton, died on August 20 at the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quioque. She was 90.

Denis was born in Southampton on March 21, 1934, to Albert and Estelle Warner. She and her two sisters, Shirley and Patricia, grew up in Riverhead. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University in 1956.

A few weeks after graduation, she married the love of her life, Donald Denis. They met while they were both attending Syracuse University.

After graduation, Jackie and Don Denis lived in Germany for about two years after Don was drafted into the Army and stationed there.

They both looked back fondly on their time in Germany. They took advantage of it.

Every weekend and vacation time was spent driving their Karman Ghia to explore new towns and cities.

The Denises settled in Syracuse for several years after returning from Germany. Jackie taught kindergarten, and Don was an architect. After several years, they moved to Riverhead, and raised their two children, Alison and Patrick, there. In 1983, they moved to Southampton.

Denis taught kindergarten in the Riverhead Central School system until her retirement in 1996.

She loved teaching, and all her students were so lucky to have her as their introduction to school life — nothing but love and support for “her little 5-year-olds.”

During her retirement, Denis was a member of the Southampton Golf Club and enjoyed playing golf with her husband and her Nine-Holer golf buddies. She formed an investment club comprised of retired school teachers and enjoyed running the club and learning about the stock market.

She and her husband traveled extensively, visiting Japan, China, Russia and Europe.

Additionally, Denis volunteered weekly at the Southampton Hospital Foundation Thrift Shop and enjoyed interacting with the other volunteers and customers.

Denis is survived by her daughter, Alison Denis Longley, her son, Patrick, her son-in-law, Rev. Steve Longley, and her two step-grandchildren, Henry and Emily Longley.

Her unending kindness, unwavering integrity and cheerful sense of humor will be remembered and cherished by all who knew and loved her.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Denis’s name to the Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead or to the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care in Quioque.