Denise R. Magnett Mitchell

Tiverton, RI - Denise Rachel Magnett Mitchell, 50, of 199 Stafford Road, Tiverton, RI, died Thursday, January 26, 2012 at Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA after a courageous battle with cancer. She will be remembered by her bright, engaging smile, quick wit and humor as well as her loving spirit. She was the beloved wife of Cleveland Mitchell. Born in Providence, RI on April 7, 1961, she was the daughter of Laura Mae Magnett of Newport, RI and the late James Magnett and the biological daughter of the late Sophia Camper. Denise was a 1979 graduate of Rogers High School. She was widowed at a young age by her first love Claudius Grant. She graduated from CCRI in 1992 with an AS degree in Computer Science and from New England Tech in 1999. Denise worked all of her life at various companies including American Power Conversion, General Dynamics, CVS Woonsocket, and, most recently, at the Surface Warfare Officers School at the Newport Naval Base. She was an Avon representative, a Big Sister volunteer and a CROP walk organizer. She enjoyed gardening and dancing. Denise was a member of Community Baptist Church where she served as a Deacon, an usher, a member of three choirs - the Senior Choir, the Voices United in Praise and the Gospel Choir. She also was on the Jewels of Judah Dance Ministry, the Paul H. Lawrence Dunbar Ministry and spent many hours helping in the soup kitchen. She had been a church school teacher, a Vacation Bible School instructor, assistant church clerk and Trustee. She did not limit herself but lived life fully and will be fondly remembered for her elongated and boisterous greeting of Helllllllllooooo!. Besides her husband and mother, she was the loving mother of her son Christopher Magnett of Newport, RI, and her daughter, Claudia Mitchell of Tiverton, RI and one stepson, Judd Mitchell of New York, NY; She leaves her brothers, Jared Rapaport of Portsmouth, RI, Tracy Johnson of Fall River, MA and Sherwood Jarmon of Las Vegas, NV; her sisters, Cynthia Magnett of East Providence, RI and Ernie Brooks of Geneva, AL; her aunts, Eleanor Weston, Dolores Means and Gladys Price of Middletown, RI and Edna Wells of Newport, RI; her godchild Brandon Burnett, her dog Maximillian and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2012, from 6-8 pm in the Community Baptist Church, 50 Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland Boulevard, Newport, RI. Her funeral will be held on Friday, February 3, 2012 with a viewing at 10:00 a.m. followed by services at 11:00 a.m. in Community Baptist Church. Burial will be in Newport Memorial Park in Middletown. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115.