Dena Kathleen (Whitmore) Boucher

Dena Kathleen Boucher, née Whitmore, of Orlando, passed away peacefully on January 9th, 2018, at the age of 70, with her husband of over fifty years, by her side. Dena had suffered from a rare, often misdiagnosed neurological disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). Dena is survived by her husband Bob Boucher, children: Robert, Christine, Carolyn, and Edna; as well as nine grandchildren, and brothers Thomas and Scott Whitmore.

Dena was born in Rochester, New York on May 1st, 1947 and was a graduate of John Marshall High School, Class of 1965. In 1966 Dena met the man who would become her life-long partner, lover, soul mate, best friend, father of her children, and ultimately her caretaker.

Bob and Dena were married April 25, 1967 in Rochester, NY. They would have celebrated 51 years of marriage in April 2018; over half a century of sharing their lives together. At their fiftieth anniversary party, surrounded by friends and family, Bob told Dena, “I would do the same thing all over again”.

Dena was the consummate mother, always volunteering as the room parent for the kids’ school activities, baking, sewing, doing arts and crafts, chauffeuring all over town, just to ensure her children could experience every opportunity. She exemplified what a mother should be- always supportive, caring, encouraging, protective, ever-present, and incredibly loving.

This love of children and her innate need to take care of others propelled her into volunteering her time and love for over seventeen years at Florida Hospital for Children. Dena, gave selflessly to others. Dena rocked sick babies to sleep so that their parents could have a reprieve. She handmade them gifts, to bring light to the darkness they felt, she baked them goodies, to sweeten up their days. This exemplifies who Dena was and what she embodied.

Dena’s unwavering commitment toward helping others was also seen in her regular blood donations to the American Red Cross, where she gave the maximum possible every chance she could. She well surpassed the five-gallon mark some time ago and wore her donation pins as a badge of honor.

Dena’s final gift to the world was in donating her brain and associated tissue to the study of this wretched disease that stole her life far too soon. Her husband fought tirelessly to seek a proper diagnosis, a cure, the right medication, to preserve her quality of life. He too selflessly gave a part of her in hopes of one day curing someone else or saving another family from the endless pain. Dena Kathleen Boucher will never be forgotten and perhaps one day her life will give hope to other families with PSP.

A celebration of Dena's life will be held at the Woodlawn Memorial Park on March 28th, 2018 from 4pm to 8pm, in Gotha, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations to support research for a cure to PSP can be made to:

http://ctrnd.med.ufl.edu/supportus/ https://www.uff.ufl.edu/OnlineGiving/FundDetail.asp?FundCode=017383

Or a check can be made out and mailed to:

UF Foundation

PO Box 100243, Gainesville, FL 32610

Note: CTRND Fund # F017383 must be noted on the memo line