Denise E. Buckley

Denise E. (Dufour) Buckley, age 69, passed away peacefully in the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, June 2, 2017, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Fall River, Massachusetts on October 19, 1947, she was oldest of five children born to the late Romeo and Yvette (Deschamps) Dufour. Sadly, at a young age, Denise's father passed away which started her lifelong role as a family care taker. She was enrolled in Saint Matthew's Elementary School before graduating from Saint Joseph's High School in Fall River. Denise continued her education at Stonehill College, earning her undergraduate degree in French with a minor in Philosophy. After her graduation in 1969, she began her course work at Tufts University to earn her Master's Degree in French.

Denise took her first teaching position at the Mass Hospital School in Canton, where she would meet her husband to be, Gerald F. Buckley, who worked there as a graphic arts teacher. Her career as a foreign language teacher flourished as she took a position with the Canton Public School System, where she spent 37 years and eventually became the foreign language coordinator, creating the first ever foreign language program in the elementary schools.

Jerry proposed to Denise on Christmas Eve, 1973 and they were married less than one year later on August 3, 1974. A few years later Denise and Jerry welcomed their first child, Christopher, while living in their tiny apartment in Norwood. The young family settled in Canton in their first house, where they would welcome their daughter Monique. Denise always recalled the happiest days of her life being the day she was married to Jerry and the days that she welcomed her two children. In 1990, Denise and Jerry moved their family to Walpole, where they spent the last 27 years.

Denise was fun loving, loved to cook, and told amazing stories, this naturally led to her love of entertaining others and throwing many amazing parties over the years. She was known as the family story teller and enjoyed passing on her French heritage in all that she did. However, all of the things that she enjoyed doing took a backseat when she became a grandmother to her two grandsons, Wayne and Ethan, she was overjoyed when they were adopted into the family and enjoyed every moment she spent with them.

She will forever be remembered as the most selfless woman, who would do anything for anyone. Denise was loved by all who met her and will be greatly missed.

Beloved wife of Gerald F. Buckley.
Loving mother of Christopher F. Buckley and his wife Keri A. of Richmond, RI and Monique R. Greer and her husband Kenneth A. of East Walpole.
Cherished grandmother of Wayne Gerald Buckley and Ethan J. Buckley.
Sister of Simonne J. Conlon of Westport, Michelle C. Matthews of PA, Danielle M. Compton of WI, and Claude P. Dufour of NC.
Also survived by many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Denise's Life Celebration on Thursday from 4-7 PM and Friday from 9-9:30 AM in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Mary's Church, 176 Washington Street, East Walpole on Friday at 10 AM. Interment will follow in Notre Dame Cemetery in Fall River.