Charmaine Hooper Denius

Charmaine Hooper Denius, beloved wife and mother, passed away at 85 years of age on October 19, 2014. Charmaine is survived by her husband of 64 years, Franklin W. Denius, her daughter Charmaine D. McGill and her husband, J. Gordon McGill, her son, Wofford ("Woffie") Denius and his wife, Beth B. Denius, her grandchildren Parker McGill and Reagan Denius, and her nieces, Charisse L. Mayer, Stacey Locke, Charmaine L. Surls, and Sharon L. Reed, the daughters of her late sister, Sharon Locke, and Stephanie H. Finamore, the daughter of her late brother, Stanley "Sonny" Hooper, Jr. Charmaine was preceded in death by her grandson Frank Wofford McGill. On behalf of Charmaine, the Denius Family would like to give special thanks to Renate Bombick for her love, friendship, and devotion to Charmaine and our family for over thirty years.

Charmaine was born on July 16, 1929, in Horatio, Arkansas, to her parents, Stanley and Mildred Hooper. In 1943 Charmaine moved with her parents, Sharon and Sonny from Horatio to Athens, Texas. Her future was cast in the fall of 1945, when Frank Denius saw her at an Athens High School football game shortly after he had returned from the European Theater of World War II, where he served as an artillery forward observer in the Army. After graduating from Athens High in 1946, Charmaine spent her freshman year of college at Fairfax College in Fairfax, Virginia and transferred as a sophomore to the University of Texas at Austin, where she became a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. Charmaine and Frank married on November 19, 1949, the only off week the Texas Longhorn Football team had that season.

When Frank graduated from University of Texas School of Law, Charmaine and Frank permanently settled in Austin, where she was a member of the Austin Junior League, continued as an Alumni advisor to Kappa Kappa Gamma, served as a volunteer with numerous Austin charities, including Austin Seton Hospital, and was perennially named as one of the ten best dressed women in Austin by the 'Austin American Statesman.' Charmaine was an avid Texas Longhorn football fan like Frank, and accompanied him to all of the home and many of the out of town games until her health prevented her from attending.

Charmaine was beautiful inside and out, and possessed style, personality and charisma. She was loved and revered by all who knew her. The White House was graced with her presence on multiple occasions and she often had the privilege of entertaining politicians and dignitaries. Elegance and a zeal for life were Charmaine's hallmarks, yet her humble upbringing in Horatio, Arkansas and Athens, Texas kept her grounded throughout her life. Charmaine was filled with love. She was a loving, caring and loyal wife to Frank, mother to Charmaine and Woffie, and grandmother to Reagan, Parker and Frank. The magnitude of her love transcended her family to her friends and acquaintances. In fact, Charmaine truly never met a stranger; her beautiful warm smile, effervescent personality and friendly voice were irresistible, and within minutes Charmaine would know a complete stranger's life history. The void created by the loss of Charmaine can never be filled, but "bigger than life" memories of her will carry her family and friends for their lifetimes.

A service will be held in Charmaine's memory at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at 1:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations and remembrances be made to: Austin Hospice, Seton Hospital or Westminster Presbyterian Church.