November 14, 1960 – June 22, 2025
Denise O’Connor passed away on June 22 due to complications following a long-awaited double lung transplant on April 15. The transplant offered a new beginning — a return to the breath, freedom and fullness of life she had missed in recent years. With hope in her heart and courage in her spirit, she faced this chapter as she did all others: with grace, humor and unshakable strength.
Denise was known not only for her striking outer beauty, but for the luminous light she carried within. Her deep love for family and friends was felt in every gesture, every conversation, every warm embrace. Her passing leaves an irreplaceable space in the lives she touched — a void filled by memory, love and the enduring impact of her presence.
Denise was born on November 14, 1960, in Casper, Wyoming, to Lucille Schoenewald and Gene Graveman. Denise raised her son Jonathan in the Eagle Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley, mostly as a single mom. She married Roderick J. O’Connor on Sept. 27, 1998, and on this coming Sept. 27, they would have celebrated 27 years of marriage.
All who knew, loved and respected Denise will miss her guiding light, her vibrant spirit, her dazzling laugh and those all-seeing blue eyes that seemed to hold both tenderness and truth.
A natural healer, Denise spent over 30 years working as a massage therapist in the Roaring Fork Valley, where her intuitive hands and generous heart brought relief, peace and renewal to many. For many years, Denise owned and operated Full Circle Massage.
Her passion for recovery and deep empathy for others inspired her to become a certified addiction specialist. She recently became the owner of Seven Cedars Training, LLC, a professional education center for addiction counselors, where she served as director, mentor and advocate for healing and growth.
She was also a gifted writer — her poetry and prose revealed a rare ability to see and name the sacred in everyday life. Denise completed her bachelor of arts degree in English and creative writing in 2014. She did this while balancing the demands of her massage practice and commuting to Mesa State College in Grand Junction. Her dedication to learning and service was matched only by her fierce intellect and sense of humor.
Denise loved music, especially bluegrass music. She believed in living with integrity and mindfulness, loving without hesitation and celebrating with friends and family.
She is survived by her mother, Lucy Shoenewald; her sisters, Dottie (Nick) Villalobos and Donna (Dick) Ragsdale; her brothers, Tom (Sheila) Graveman and Tim (Erin) Graveman. Also, her son Jonathan Stahlman, his wife, Jennifer, and grandsons Jackson (12) and Lucas (10). Denise was preceded in death by her father, Gene Graveman. Denise also leaves behind Sunny, her beloved Norwegian forest cat.
She walked through life with an open and generous heart, leaving light wherever she went.
A celebration of Denise’s life is planned at the Old Thompson Barn in River Valley Ranch on Aug. 24 at 4 pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name to: Pathfinders, A Way Out and The Meeting Place in Carbondale.