Ann Denise Noel Born

Ann Denise Noel Born was led peacefully by her Shepherd Jesus away from this world in the early hours of Sunday, February 13, 2022, after battling pancreatic cancer. Trusting Him fully to the very end, she asked God for healing while submitting to His perfect providence. In God's kindness, all of her family sang to her and said goodbye last Thursday, when she communicated her desire to be with Jesus.

Denise was born in Richmond, Virginia on January 26, 1957 to Cleveland and Ann Noel. She trusted Jesus as her Savior at the early age of five and spent most of her childhood in Greenville, South Carolina. The University of Tennessee is where she received her nursing degree, but more significantly is where Mark Born captured her affection. They were married April 14, 1979 and spent their early years growing their family in Tennessee and North Carolina before moving the Grapevine, Texas in 1988. In addition to raising her five young children, she worked for over 30 years as a labor and delivery nurse, 25 of those at Baylor Hospital in Grapevine. She impacted thousands of families, rejoicing together with them as they welcomed new babies into the world.

Denise delighted in everything beautiful, from holding soft babies and growing flowers to singing harmony and hiking the Blue Ridge mountains…her camera right out front to capture images of the beauty she enjoyed. Denise brought gentleness and grace to every situation, living out one of her favorite verses, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).” Mark and Denise warmly opened their home and their hearts to hundreds of squealing children, hungry teenagers, lonely international students, singles needing a spot to land, and growing families. Always making room for a few more at the table, people found a place to belong in their home.

Denise is survived by her beloved husband of 42 years, Mark Born, and her five children: Jennifer Graves (husband Reese), Josh Born (wife Ellie), Jake Born (wife Felecia), Jessica Born, and Julie Clayton (husband Matt). She also leaves 23 grandchildren to mourn her passing: Madeline, Eliana, Judson, Elizabeth, Simon, Julia, Miles, and Benjamin Graves; Kate, Emma, Porter, Sawyer, and Isaac Born; Bree, Sutton, Nehemiah, Lively, True, and Noah Born; Norah, Calvin, Millie, and Jovie Clayton. She is also survived by her brother Roger Noel and family, Steve Noel and family, as well as her sister Carol McIntire and family.