Denise Marie Vernon

Denise Marie Vernon passed into Gods hands on June 8, 2026 at 9:58 pm, as she was held in her husband’s arms with family members present.  She was declared deceased by the home hospice representative on June 9th, 2026.

Denise was a devoted mother of 3 sons, and wife of 40+ years to Steven Richard Vernon. She was born in Baltimore Maryland on January 31, 1956. She is survived by her husband (Steven Richard Vernon), her 3 sons,  John and Paul Vernon,  and James and his wife Hana Vernon, and her 2 grandchildren by Hana and James, Ezrah and Elizabeth Vernon. Denise  is also survived by her sister Carol Maroglio and husband Louis, nephews Mark  and John Maroglio and his life partner Laurie, and their son, Gabe Maroglio, and Denise’s niece, Mary Pazmany by her deceased sister Kathleen Pazmany.

Denise became a registered nurse in May of 1979, after graduating from the Catholic University with her BSN.  Denise met Steven Richard at Rock Creek Park Horse Center as they both shared a great love in equestrian English riding sports and caring for their horses. After 5 years of dating on and off horseback, they were married August 9, 1985 at the Howard County courthouse in a civil ceremony with close family members attending. Denise was nonwavering in her devotion to both her family and her patients and her animals. She held nursing positions at the Columbia Hospital for Women, Washington Hospital Center in the Districut of Columbia where she specialized in nursing care focused on kidney dialysis, kidney transplants and shock trauma. She then took a nursing position at Montgomery General Hospital in Olney Maryland (now Medstar Montgomery) where she practiced nursing for IV Therapy, maternal new born and the general medical floor units. She also held the head nurse position on the medical surgical unit for several years and she was named Nurse if The Year in 2013. She retired after 30 years of service to be closer to family, friends and spending more time gardening, attending to her plants, her pets and her sewing, needle craft, knitting and other hobbies.

Dense was diagnosed with breast cancer over 20 years ago and underwent chemotherapy, radiation and hormone treatment therapy at various stages of the disease progression. She stayed optimistic in that she had beat cancer twice while she remained a nurse during her treatments while continuing to serving the needs of others. Unfortunately, the re-appearance of cancer surfaced again in December of 2024, as she was diagnosed as Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, understanding that this round of treatments would not lead to a cure, but an extension of life. She set several goals during this last treatment period where one was seeing the birth of her granddaughter Elizabeth and the second goal of surviving to see the 4th birthday of her grandson Ezrah. She bravely held her fight until both goals were met. The cancer treatments had then become so overwhelming that the quality of life just wasn’t worth the extension of life the treatments provided anymore. She then, with Steve at her side, elected to terminate treatments on May 9, 2026 to let the disease takes it course until she passed away in her home, just as she wished to do so.

Her final whishes were to have arrangements cremated by Barber Funeral Home in Laytonville Maryland. You can leave condolences at the funeral home website: barborfhlaytonsville.com by looking up her name and the site will direct you to her guest book.  She wished that her remains be interred near her parents, Irene and John Brooks, at the Norbeck Memorial Gardens, in Olney Maryland. A small burial ceremony will be held in the near future for close family members.

Should you want to contribute and/or note your respect and friendship for her and the family, as they supported her enduring fight against overwhelming odds,  and her service to many others in our community,  she asked that donations in her name be made to the American Cancer Society or the Arbor Day Foundation where one can donate money to the organization where a tree will be planted in the memory of Denise Marie Vernon.

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