Denise Dawn Naughton Yaros Battaglia

Denise Battaglia, age 68, affectionately known to her friends and family as “Denni,” passed away gently on Sunday, August 17, 2025, with her beloved daughter, Elizabeth, at her side. Denni was born in the small town of Bradford, Pennsylvania, and attended Bradford Area High School (Class of 1975) where she was a star basketball player, as well as a brilliant whiz in math and artist with a wonderful and wild imagination. She was also an accomplished guitar and piano player, and often spent her days playing bluegrass and jazz music with her father, Don, and sisters, Linda and Debbie, in their home and at the Kiwanis Club. She and her sisters spent years working at the Glendorn Estate, where she came to appreciate the quiet art of elegance and the discipline of doing things just so. It was there, in the graceful rhythm of service to a storied household, that she developed a lifelong love for beauty, order, and the small refinements that make a life feel grand. In her younger years, she also dedicated her time to volunteering in the Bradford community: spearheading the effort to renovate Hanley Park and working at the Children’s Home. In 1980, she married John Joseph Yaros, Jr., of Bradford, and soon, they welcomed their only daughter, Elizabeth Kendall, into the world.

As Denni made a new life for herself and her daughter in North Carolina where she could be closer to family, she took business classes at Meredith College and moved into working for UPS where she brought expertise and humor to every aspect of the job. After 30 years in that role at UPS, Denni made friendships and connections that would last a lifetime. In 2007, Denni was remarried to the loveable and endlessly good-humored Richard Battaglia, and they shared thirteen happy years building a life rooted in family, Italian cooking, and simple, everyday pleasures. Together, Denni and Rich spent lots of time on Glenwood South, cheered proudly at countless hockey games, and found happiness celebrating important milestones in the lives of Rich’s sons–Bates, Anthony, and Sam.

Denni had a generous spirit and delighted in the little things that added a touch of sparkle to life. She was a trickster and enjoyed making mischief. She painted flowers on furniture, decorated for every holiday with wonder and flair, and at Christmas, gave so many gifts you could hardly see the tree behind them. She had a booming belly laugh, a dry, sarcastic wit, and a knack for storytelling and turning everyday moments into something magical — whether she was dressing up to play tricks on Halloween, baking perfect cream puffs, or creating whimsical worlds for the children in her life. Denni’s affection for her father, Don, ran deep, and she admired him for his love of life, musical talent, and industrious nature.

Denni loved music and singing along. She loved animals, freshly-cut flowers, scary movies, Buffalo Bills football, hummingbirds, and the beach. She cherished crosswords, hot coffee, cold Pepsi, a well-earned slice of cheesecake (or any cheesecake), the poems of Robert Frost, and the stories of The Chronicles of Narnia. And always, she held a soft spot for The Wizard of Oz, especially the Cowardly Lion, whose tender heart and quiet courage reminded her to keep going even in tough times. As the Cowardly Lion once said, “What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage.”

Denni and her daughter, Elizabeth, shared a singular friendship that was rooted in laughter and a deep knowing. Denni had always dreamed of becoming a mother, and once Elizabeth arrived she poured herself into that role–always striving to fill their lives with beauty, fun, and authenticity. Their homes were places of music, acceptance, and a touch of Naughton Family magic. Whether she was cheering from the bleachers at basketball games, painting stars on the ceiling, or giving all she could with what she had, Denni taught her daughter how to be a fighter, to work hard, to celebrate everything, to laugh from the belly, and to love fiercely. The bond Denni shared with Elizabeth — complex and enduring — was, she would say, the greatest gift of her life.

During her brief illness, Denni charmed every healthcare provider that she encountered, many of whom agreed that she brought warmth, humor, and strength to every chapter of this last journey.

Denni was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard A. Battaglia; her father, Donald Bruce Naughton; her mother, Joyce Naughton (Karnes); her sister, Linda Naughton Bird; and her precious twin sister and lifelong mirror, Deborah Lee Naughton, whom she treasured more deeply than time could tell.

Denni is survived by her brother, Bruce (Christine) Naughton of Cary, NC; her nieces, Taylor and Katie; her stepsons, Bates, Anthony, and Sam Battaglia; her step-grandchildren, Bates, Grady, Freddy, Franky, and Sammy; her devoted daughter-in-law, Erin Kate Grady; and her cherished daughter, Elizabeth Yaros, whom she loved “more than all the words in all the books in all the world.”

Services will be held privately for family and friends.

Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen in Raleigh (http://www.shepherds-table.org/) or to the SPCA of Wake County (https://spcawake.org/).

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, is serving the Battaglia family.