Denise (Krauter) Leininger

Denise Leininger passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 9, 2024, four years after her diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. She was 62 years old.

Denise Leininger (nee Krauter) was born in San Jose, California, in 1962, and moved to Morgan Hill at a young age. She attended Live Oak High School where she played clarinet in the school's Emerald Regime marching band-she won the national high-school marching band championship in 1978 and never let her children forget it. She fell in love with the drum major, Rick Leininger, and married him in 1983, at the age of 20. Denise left college (Fresno State, where she studied horticulture) to put Rick through veterinary school, working at Ace and Wells Fargo in Davis while he studied.

Rick and Denise returned to Morgan Hill in 1989 and founded South County Animal Hospital together in 1994. Denise ran the hospital as its Chief Financial Officer for 27 years. In the meantime, she raised their two children, Diane and Brett. She greeted them with hot chocolate every morning, drove them to dance, basketball practice, and school functions, and never let a day go by without telling them how much she loved them. She was her kids' strongest advocate and closest friend.

After seeing both kids through college, Denise went back to school herself, at 54, to complete her Bachelor's degree. She studied American History and immersed herself in her education, spending hours at the computer, writing papers about the American Revolution with her dog (Liesl) asleep at her feet. She even spent a summer semester studying in colonial Williamsburg. Denise earned her degree in 2019, and she was immensely proud to be a college graduate. (We're proud of you too, Mom.)

Denise had magic in her fingertips, and where they touched dirt, flowers bloomed. Her garden was her happy place and she worked hard to create a paradise in her yard. She once planted 200 daffodil bulbs, just to make the neighbors smile. After retiring, in 2021, Denise converted her home office into a greenhouse where she grew sweet peas, poppies, zinnias, and cosmos from seed to plant them in her garden come spring. She instilled in her children and grandchildren a passion for flowers that we will carry with us forever.

Denise was a staunch optimist and saw the best in everyone. She could (and would) talk to anyone she met; she believed that everybody has a story to tell, and she always made time to listen. Her joy for life was infectious and she laughed at everything, herself most of all.

She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Rick; her daughter Diane Lane (Bradley Lane); son Brett Leininger (Megan Leininger); brother Doug Krauter (Kim); father Hal Krauter (Carlyn); stepfather Craig Johnson; and stepsister Darcy Dewey (John). She was preceded in death by her mother, Shirley. Denise also leaves 5 young grandchildren: Jameson, Daniel, Beatrice, Annabelle, and Harrison. She adored her grandkids and taught them the lyrics to silly songs, how to build toy train tracks, and the names of flowers-and to always stop to smell them.

Denise will be remembered as a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother, a stalwart friend, a keen gardener, and a terrible singer who never let a detail like that stop her from making a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Per Denise's wishes, there will be no memorial service. In lieu of sending flowers, please plant some in your garden and think of her when they bloom in the spring. Please also consider giving to PanCAN to support other families affected by pancreatic cancer.

Published in Gilroy Dispatch and Morgan Hill Times · September 16, 2024