Denise Schramke died unexpectedly on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. She was born in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 5, 1929. The daughter of Edward and Georgette McGrath, she was raised in Indianapolis, Ind., and attended Purdue University in addition to graduating from Toby Coburn with a degree in fashion merchandising. Following graduation, Mrs. Schramke was employed by Carson Pierre & Scott in Chicago as their youngest merchandise buyer.

Mrs. Schramke met and married her husband, Robert Schramke, in Chicago, where they lived for several years and started a family with the birth of their first two children, Stephen and Leisa. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to California, and the family grew to three children with the birth of a son, Scott.

While in California, Mrs. Schramke continued her career as a merchandise consultant working for American Enka, managing the Levi Strauss & Company account. Moving from the West Coast to the East Coast, the family landed in Darien, Conn. There, Mrs. Schramke devoted the next several years to raising and nurturing her children, while also being very active in community committees and programs.

In 1984, Mrs. Schramke and her husband moved to Mercer Island. Continuing her community work, she was very active in the Mercer Island Women’s Club and the Ryther Child Center. With endless energy, she also became a part-time travel director for the Maritz Company, managing both domestic and foreign events. In 1992, she purchased Lacy & Par, a small mail service company in Seattle. Under her strong leadership, Lacy & Par has grown into a premium service company, providing marketing services to leading Seattle companies. Company staff and clients will greatly miss Mrs. Schramke’s dedication and commitment to excellence.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Schramke balanced her activities by spending quality time with her children and grandchildren, traveling with her husband, and playing bridge with her friends. As a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a business owner and a red-headed Irish, Mrs. Schramke will be greatly missed. Gone, but definitely not forgotten, Mrs. Schramke’s classy style, her “get-it-done” determination, and her generous gift-giving qualities will live on.

Survivors include her husband, Robert; her son, Stephen Schramke and daughter-in-law Kathy, and their two sons, Bobby and Charlie Schramke, of Bainbridge Island; her daughter, Leisa Schramke Garrett, and her three children Chris, Tracy and Peter Garrett, of Yakima, Wash.; her son, Scott Schramke and daughter-in-law Nancy, and their son Alex Schramke, of Shoreline, Wash.

A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church.

Please visit the Flintoft’s Funeral Home Web site (www.flintofts.com) for details or call (425) 392-7244.

Remembrances are suggested to Ryther Child Center, 2400 N.E. 95th Street, Seattle, Wash., 98115-2426.