Denise A. "Denny" Talbot
July 29, 1942 ~ February 20, 2026
Born in:
Portland, Miane
Resided in:
Portland, Maine
Denise Alice Talbot
1942-2026
Portland- Denny passed away peacefully at Maine Medical Center on February 20, 2026, at the age of 83.
Born on July 29, 1942, to Fritzi and Nellie Talbot. She was a lifelong resident of Portland. She was a communicant of St. Dominic’s Church and attended St. Dominic’s Grammar School. She graduated from Cathedral High School, as salutatorian, and St. Joseph’s College. With a grant from the National Science Foundation, she studied math at the University of Notre Dame and later earned her master’s at Syracuse University.
Her calling in life was teaching. She started her career at Cathedral High School in 1964 and retired from Westbrook High School in 2001 after 24 years there. While there she was very hands on, one favorite class was geometry. She bought sewing machines for the class to make kites; they flew them at Scarborough Beach at year’s end. Her father loved going to watch them fly.
Denny retired after 37 years to take care of her sister, Christine, who was stricken with M.S. at an early age. Before Christine was bedridden Denny took her on many adventures including Red Sox games and a visit to California to attend the Johnny Carson Show.
Denny was always a giver. She took care of everyone, never asking for anything in return. She also loved the races and worked at Scarborough Downs with her best friend, Carol Casale, for many years. The two of them also worked at the fall fairs.
Denny enjoyed several trips to Las Vegas. On an early trip she studied a book en route on how to play craps and went straight to the craps table upon arrival.
She enjoyed camp at Little Sebago Lake and loved cooking for everyone, her specialty being sweets.
Denny is survived by her brother, Terry and his wife Christine and Timmy, her sister Celeste and her husband Freddy Fasulo and her good friend Carol Casale. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother, Tommy, her sister-in-law Roseanne, and her sister, Christine, for whom she dedicated her life.
Her family would like to thank everyone at the Barron Center for providing her with care for over eight years during her struggle with dementia. We are happy to say that Denny remembered everyone until the day she died and seemed to be happy in her world where, by the way she was still teaching school.
Visiting hours will be held Thursday, March 12, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home of South Portland, 1024 Broadway. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 13, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 124 Cottage Road, South Portland. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland.







We are so deeply sorry to hear of Denny’s passing! Denny was special, an angel on this earth, and now she is watching over all of you! Denny, I will cherish all of the great memories with you, Christine, and the family up to camp and on Summer Street. I will always think of you with a smile!
You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Hugs and love to you all. Lori (Fusco) O’Donnell
by family and friends.
Please accept our sincere condolences to the extended Talbot family on the loss of Denny. She was a beautiful person, smart, kind, a true teacher in every sense of the word, loving and generous, to boot! Our son, Jason Howell, who passed in 2002, treasured and adored her friendship and mentoring through the years. The world has lost a pure soul. Fly high Denny, you will be missed! Donna, Dale, Sean, Christi, Corey and the entire Baker Family
A wonderful teacher, I have thought of her often lately as we design and rebuild our camp – her geometry class has come in very handy as I figure angles, slopes and all things building! And I remembered! One of my favorites at McAuley!
I send my deepest condolences to Denny’s family, especially her friend Carol.
We had some good times together when we worked at the various fairs
many years ago. She will be missed.
Denise and I taught for many years right across the hall from each other and would chat so often!
She gave me one of her famous kite sewing machines after she got it tuned up and that summed up what a giving woman she always was. I remember receiving the “friendship cake” starter from her back when I indulged in sugary treats.
Denise cared very deeply for her students and for her family. Her devotion to Christine was unlike any other.
After visiting her at the Barron Center I remember her smile most of all. She left her mark on all of us and I am sorry for the pain her dementia caused her family. May you all know how important she was to so many of us! 💜
My heart is broken for Denise’s family. She was a mentor to me at the beginning of my career at Westbrook High School. I attended Christine’s funeral when I was eight months pregnant. At that time, she whispered in my ear that the next time we got together, we’d be celebrating a birth. She was the first person to visit me in the hospital after the birth of my daughter. We (my daughter and I) spent several summer afternoons enjoying each other’s company at her camp. She was like a mother to me when my own mother was far away. Denise was a mentor, a colleague, a work mom, but most importantly, a friend who has left an indelible mark on my heart. My condolences…
Ms. Talbot was my freshman algebra teacher at Westbrook High School (86-87). I was not the best math student so I needed a lot of afterschool help. I found her explanations always clear. She was very kind to help me during my sophomore and junior year as well even though she wasn’t my teacher. I appreciated that very much.
Miss Talbot was a wonderful dedicated teacher, first to me at Catherine McAuley and then to our two daughters at Westbrook. Very grateful for her fine example as a woman of character and as a math teacher.
Denise was a wonderful colleague and a warm, supportive friend who helped our two daughters make kites and fly them in our field. She also gifted my wife Wichelle with a redipe for buttercrunch which has been a staple of the Fournier Dyhrberg family for three decades. I had the opportunity to visit Denise at the Baron Center ane ws happy to share some musial moments from my brother Tom. All best wishes to Denise’s family.
Denise (Miss Talbot) was a wonderful teacher who shaped many lives and demystified algebra, geometry and trigonometry for many students. I was privileged to have her as my teacher at Catherine McAuley in the 70’s. She was a wonderful hands on teacher and an even better human who truly cared about her students. She even introduced our class to a very early model of an Apple computer. She was always on the leading edge and continuing her own learning to become a better teacher; one who will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, Miss Talbot. You were loved and appreciated ❤️
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Ms. Talbot. She was one of my many teachers at WHS. My sincere condolences to her family and friends.
Denise (Champagne) Russell