Denise Heinly, 76, passed away on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.  She was a native of Gainesville, FL, moving to the Chattanooga area in the fall of 1979.  Denise attended Florida State University and the University of Florida, where she studied fine arts and art history, and was awarded master's degrees in creative writing and art education. In 1979 she moved to Chattanooga to begin her lifelong career in the art department at Chattanooga State Community College, where she was instrumental in building up the school's program in fine arts and art history and is fondly remembered by many former students and colleagues. She also actively pursued her own creative work in visual arts and literature, giving exhibitions and publishing short stories. After her retirement, she continued to actively engage in art history research with an emphasis on medieval and Paleolithic studies. She enjoyed hiking and sketching wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains, and even into her final year she could be seen every day walking the hills of her neighborhood in Harrison. She will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Mildred Bryant, and grandmother, Arvada Dawson.

Denise is survived by her husband, Bruce Heinly; son, Michael Frank; brothers, Kenneth Bryant, Richard Bryant and Terrell Bryant; sisters, Rena Beechley, Margo (Alan) Reese and Theresa (Michael) Desch, and grandson, Colin Frank.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, November 27, 2022 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Turner Funeral Home @ Hwy 58.  A memorial service will follow at 3 p.m.

Please share your memories and express condolences to the family on their guestbook.