Cynthia Ann Denena

On Monday, April 20th, Cynthia Ann Denena, concluded a life well lived as she peacefully began a journey with the angels surrounded by her children. Although her body will return to dust, her soul will live forever with God. As a true “Southern Lady” she embodied values of faith, family, charity, and compassion, all molded by high moral character, ethics, integrity, and quality. She was an extravert and exhibited great care for others. She wanted nothing more than to find ways to create success for others. She cherished life. Her values were molded from a family (Porter and Rushing) of educators focused on education, music, and artistic activities.

Cynthia was born in Port Arthur, Texas on July 25, 1941 (“Christmas in July”). Her formative years were spent in Hearne, Texas. She spent many a weekend/summer as a child in Calvert, Texas playing on the porch of her grandparent’s general store or at their home reading through books, exploring the grounds or marveling at her grandmother’s painting creations. She was fortunate to spend each day with her grandfather Porter (a character), who lived with the family; doting on her, telling many a tale in their adventures. Cynthia was a great person of strength (polio survivor at ten), beauty, wit, and charm woven into an engaging personality creating an ability to develop close knit and enduring friendships with ease. As a teenager she sat on quilts in the front yard playing cards with family and friends, listening to music on the radio until the late hours. She loved to dance, spending many a summer evening dancing at local venues across Roberston and Brazos counties. Her own vocal talent was curated at the many churches surrounding her home, a gift from the Porter family.

Cynthia attended Baylor University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, Education in 1963. She was a member of the Baylor University Chappel Choir. At Baylor she was a member of DAP sorority and met one of her dear friends, Telisha Shahan Wardlow. From this friendship, she spent college and post college graduate summers at the Shahan ranch working at Alamo Village meeting the likes of John Wayne and other western movie stars during filming of movies, television mini-series, and many country western music performers who visited or performed at Alamo Village. Post college, she continued her joy of West Texas at her first teaching position in Sonora, Texas dating many a west Texas cowboy learning to shoot, dear hunt and enjoying youthful adventures south of the border.

Just before New Year’s Eve 1963, Leon Denena was driving through Hearne and noticed Cynthia from afar. With a phone call, Leon had his first date with Cynthia on New Year’s Eve. Two years later, he proposed on the banks of the Brazos River, marrying on January 24, 1965. Nothing was more satisfying to her than having her husband and family around her. Being an only child, she adored becoming a member of the large Italian Denena (and Falsone) family; brimming Italian heritage and deeply rooted Catholic faith earning the moniker of IBM, “Italian By Marriage”. In marriage, Cynthia was a homemaker, raising three children. As a mother and grandmother, she always relished knowing and hearing about the numerous activities and athletic adventures involving her children and grandchildren. She attended softball, swimming, football, baseball, golf, dance, and drill team events for many years. It was not uncommon to see her on a weekend traveling across all parts of the state to watch baseball and softball games. She and her family were long-time members of Briarcrest Country Club. She never turned down a (Bridge) card game. If you needed to find Cynthia, she was most likely found at a Bridge table at Miramont Country Club, Women’s Club bridge marathon or small group tables with numerous friends who dared to play with her.

Cynthia was a person of devout Catholic faith. Music, friends throughout her upbringing, and marriage led to a desire to become Catholic in the late 1960’s. As a woman of faith, she was an active parishioner at St. Anthony Catholic Church teaching religious education (12 years), attending various ladies bible study programs, choir member and song leader (40+ years), Alter Society member (30 years); parish council (4 terms) and annual church bazaar committee member (20 years). She and her family value the Italian heritage of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

Cynthia lived her faith by being an exemplar faithful servant, pouring her time, talent and treasure into the community. She and several others started Catholic Charities of the Brazos Valley, she volunteered for Meal-On-Wheels (20+ years), and led the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) program (10 years) at Bryan High School later turning into her desire to return to education to instruct content mastery at Bryan High School (18 years). She enjoyed helping students challenged by all circumstances be successful and ultimately graduate. After retirement, her former students and/or their families have continued to express gratitude for her assistance in achieving a high school degree to chart a productive adult life.

Cynthia was well travelled. She started traveling at an early age with family to discover our wonderful country. Later in life she took many opportunities to travel abroad, marveling at the beauty each new country presented and the many ports of call aboard cruise ships.

Her most treasured trip was a two-week trip to Sicily and Italy to visit Poggioreale and the Amalfi Coast. As a focal point of this trip, she, her husband, and 19 of his relatives spent one week soaking up the Sicilian country-side and Denena/Falsone family background in Poggioreale.

Cynthia was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Anthony Denena, Sr. Her parents, George Felton Porter and Mary Mildred Rushing Porter, father in-law Anthony Denena, mother-in-law Rose Falsone Denena, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins from the Porter and Rushing families.

Cynthia’s legacy will be carried out by her three children, Ana Maria Denena of Bryan/Houston, Texas; Leon Anthony Denena, Jr. (Katherine) of Bryan, Texas; and Tina Louise Denena (Amanda) of Woodland, California. Cynthia was blessed to have loving grandchildren, Leon Anthony Denena, III (Layla), Victoria Rose Denena-Jones (Joseph), Benjamin Andrew Denena all of Bryan, Texas; and two grandchildren, Porter Seguin and Cooper Seguin of Woodland, California.

The Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled to be held at 11a.m., Tuesday, April 28th at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Hearne, Texas. Visitation is scheduled from 5-6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27th with a 6:30 p.m. rosary service at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Bryan.

Memorials may be made to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church designating the Capital Lighting Project or facility, building and maintenance fund.