Denise Alston Brown, 55, of Coppell, TX flew first class to Heaven on March 28, 2023.

Cheryl Denise Alston was born August 28 (delivered on her Daddy’s birthday, as her Mom had prayed it so), 1967, in Texas City, TX to Dennis and Carol (Salley) Alston, and welcomed home by her big brother, Max. The family later moved to Santa Fe, TX, where Denise cultivated the habit of attracting lifelong friends with her penchant for humor and adventure. Her liveliness was wrapped in kindness and combined with a sharp intellect. She excelled at commemorating important and everyday moments through the medium of photographs, which led to leadership roles on the school yearbook staff. Denise qualified as a National Merit Scholar and graduated with honors from Santa Fe High School in 1985.

Her academic prowess and Baptist heritage propelled her to Baylor University, where she continued collecting lifelong friends, beginning on the first day of her freshman year and through her active participation in Chi Omega Fraternity. Denise earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with concentrations in French and Spanish, then began her career at Trinity High School in Euless, TX, where she taught for two years. She then decided to combine her gift for languages with her love of adventure to pursue a new career as a multilingual flight attendant. In 1991, Denise began her 25-year career with Delta Air Lines as a flight attendant on the Dallas-Mexico City route. Passengers were often surprised, usually delighted, or occasionally embarrassed when they learned that the blonde American flight attendant was fluent in Spanish and understood what they had been saying in her earshot.

A frequent gathering spot for airline crew, whether on layover or at home near DFW Airport, was Esparza’s TexMex Restaurant in downtown Grapevine. Denise and her cohorts would gather there regularly on Wednesday evenings, often taking over sections of the restaurant as more crew members arrived. Esparza’s pragmatic owner, Steve Brown, might have been more annoyed with the ad hoc table and chair rearrangers had it not been for the charming smile and sharp wit of a certain blonde flight attendant. Denise and Steve began dating in December, 1996. After a whirlwind courtship - or a prolonged one, depending on who told the story - Denise Alston married Stephen J. Brown on September 3, 2004, officially becoming a beloved member of Steve’s large, local family who had long since considered her one of theirs. When the Dallas base for Delta closed shortly after her marriage, Denise decided to stop flying. But she and Steve loved to travel, and she loved her Delta family of friends, so she continued working for the company at the DFW branch of Delta Air Credit Union. Upon reaching her 25-year anniversary with the company, she hung up her Delta wings. Denise and Steve didn’t stop traveling, however. In addition to personal vacations to visit family and friends around the country, they took quarterly trips for over a decade through Steve’s affiliation with the Elite Group of Restaurant Systems Pro, yet another group which can authentically call Denise “friend.”

It will surprise none of the family and friends she loved to know that Denise decided long ago to become an organ donor, should the occasion arise. When given the choice to consent, her family didn’t hesitate to honor her wishes. At the most difficult time in their lives, they agreed generously to bless the lives of many others, as Denise had been doing since the day she was born.

Denise will be remembered as a treasured wife, devoted family member, and constant friend. She was a bright light at every gathering, many of which she planned or hosted. She valued her time playing Canasta weekly with her dear neighborhood friends. Denise was an avid reader, puzzle-doer, and gardener. She loved watching sports, especially when she could cheer for the Baylor Bears or Dallas Cowboys. Denise enjoyed running several half-marathons with her Dad, brother, and Steve. She made buying in bulk look like a competitive sport, which she aimed to win. She was a master of trivia, and never stopped loving country music.

Denise is survived by her treasured husband and best friend, Steve Brown; parents Dennis and Roianne (Glaze) Alston of Calvert, TX, and Carol S. Alston of Coppell; siblings Max Alston and wife Cathy, of Santa Fe, TX, Trey Glaze and wife Tammy, of Dickinson, TX, MaryEllen (Brown) Zboril and husband Tim, of Sanger, TX, Paul Brown, of Richardson, TX, Mike Brown and wife Stacey, of Denton, Dan Brown and Kathy Rodkey, of Coppell, Eileen (Brown) Wolfe and husband Jon, of Plano; numerous cousins in Texas and Oklahoma; nine nieces and nephews, a great-niece and a great-nephew. Denise was preceded in death by her grandparents Dennis Grady Alston, Lillie Murphy (Hetherington) Alston, George Oliver Drew Salley, and Zelma Irene (Payne) Salley.

A memorial service to celebrate the full but too-brief life of Denise Alston Brown will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., in the Worship Center of 121 Community Church, 2701 Ira E. Woods Ave, Grapevine, TX 76051.

In lieu of flowers, Denise’s family suggests a memorial gift to the Southwest Transplant Alliance Foundation https://www.organ.org/contrib… or the American Heart Association https://www.heart.org, 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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