Denise Marie Girard

January 10, 1954 – February 26, 2022

Denise Marie Girard, native Texan and Austinite (3rd generation), passed peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer’s related to a rare type of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes that showed up in her adulthood. She was born January 10, 1954 to Thomas D. and Betty J. Holbrook Girard in Austin, Texas.

Denise never met a stranger. She was a dear friend to many and kept in contact with various people throughout her life. Some she had known from the age of 3, including some of her Maplewood Elementary friends, her Reagan HS friends, her UT friends and many colleagues from her various jobs. Denise had many talents. She was incredibly smart, entertaining, gregarious, fun, kind, and generous to her family, friends, and acquaintances.

She had two degrees from the University of Texas in Biology/Organic Chemistry and Computer Science. She also had many different skills and interests. From the 1980’s through the early 2000’s, Denise worked for several different software companies. She worked for Houston Instruments, RPC, Tymlabs, etc., during the 80’s – 90’s, and, as a remarkable salesperson, she endeared herself to everyone wherever she went.

After leaving a successful career in the software business, she became a very lucrative Power Seller with eBay in its early days. She loved looking for deals. She was a hard worker, yet found time to have fun and enjoy life.

Big thanks go out to the team of professionals as well as the dedicated caregivers and new friends that she made at Silverado and Auberge Onion Creek Memory Care. It took a village to keep her healthy and happy. She is preceded in death by her mother, Betty Girard, her father, Tom Girard, her aunt, Roselle Girard, and her uncle Donald Holbrook. She is survived by her sister, Cheryl Taylor, her niece, Sarah Taylor Garrett and husband, Pat Garrett, her nephew, Blake Taylor, and her four great-nieces and great-nephews, Patrick Garrett, Lily Garrett, Woodrow (Woody) Garrett and Magnolia Garrett.

There will be a private family graveside burial this weekend. A public Celebration of Life gathering will be held at Saengerrunde Halle at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, Texas 78701 on March 27th from 2:00 – 6:00 pm. for all of her many friends and work-families to come together to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Denise’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, https://www.alz.org/?form=alz_donate , or the American Diabetes Association, https://www.diabetes.org/?form=diabetes_donate .

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com for the Girard family.