Artist Denise Hodgins Call dies at 77

Denise Hodgins Call obituary photo

Denise Hodgins Call passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day, May 10, at her home in Princeton. She was 77.

Denise lived her life to the fullest as a mother of four, grandmother of thirteen, loving wife, friend, and renowned artist.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Denise was the daughter of Catherine Costello Hodgins and James Hodgins. She graduated from West Catholic Girls’ High School and Cabrini College in Philadelphia. She then continued her studies, doing post-graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania. Her love of books and writing led her to become an English teacher at Marylawn of the Oranges Academy in South Orange. Her impeccable memory and voracious reading habits landed her a spot on the show Jeopardy!

In 1994, Denise married Steve Call, whom she loved dearly. Steve and Denise traveled the world together and threw fabulous dinner parties, sharing their love of gourmet food and wine with their many friends.

After retiring from a career at Exxon in aviation fuel sales, Denise enrolled in duCret School of Art, where she began her next career as an artist. Denise painted all over the world but created the majority of her masterpieces from her home in Bayse, Virginia, where she skied and played golf with her many grandchildren.

In her final years, Denise sailed the Queen Mary with her granddaughter Morgan and could often be found at the Museum of Natural History, the Met or Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City with her granddaughter Reagan. She was an avid fan of her grandchildren’s athletics and could be spotted at many lacrosse games and rowing regattas. Denise was also a member of the Nassau Club, Springdale Country Club, and a friend of the Institute for Advanced Study.

Denise will be missed by many and is survived by her husband Steve, her children Caitlyn Parker (Steve), Mairin Kuligowski (Jeff), Edward Gilhooly III (Sheryl), and Bevin Walsh (Tim), and her thirteen grandchildren.  

One Comment

  1. To borrow a title, “…a wonderful life”. I only wish I had met her. As a fellow English major, corporate communications director and now, retired, turning to my avocation as a performing flutist. My thoughts to her family. I am sure those who
    knew her knew they had met a special person.

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