Denise Marie (Lenzen) Goehring 70, of Fort Collins, Colorado died September 7, 2025 at Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins, surrounded by family. Funeral services will be held September 20th at 11:00 am at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 1200 S. Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins, with a reception/luncheon to follow.
Born August 9, 1955 in Hankinson, ND to Marlys (Wilm) and Anton (Tony) Lenzen. She spent her first 4 years of life on a farm by Hankinson before the family moved to River Falls, WI. She attended Saint Bridget's School and then attended River Falls High School graduating in 1973. She then went on to Cosmetology school in Minneapolis. Denise started working at Ben Franklin in the health and beauty department while in high school. In 1977 she moved to Glyndon, MN and worked for Baker's shoe store. This is where she and Tom met. Denise as a sales associate and Tom as a stock boy. They became "sole" mates and were married June 30, 1978. They moved to West Fargo, ND. She then went to work for JC Penney's as the manager of the Health and Beauty department. Then in 1980 moved to Bismarck, ND where on July 31, 1980 Jonathan was born. After Jonathan was born Denise started a day care, caring for six to eight children. Using her patience, compassion and organizational skills. When Jonathan started school, Denise went back into retail, first working at Capital Lanes while also participating in the WIBC woman's national bowling tournament and then started working for JoAnn's Fabric as an Assistant Manager, where she was a fantastic resource for customers since she was an excellent seamstress. She sewed bridal gowns as well as the bridesmaids' dresses for wedding parties. In 1991 the family moved to Fort Collins, CO. She then started working for Courtney Park apartments as head housekeeper and then Maid Rite doing residential cleaning while displaying her attention to detail and organizational skills. Denise always kept an immaculate house. She started her own cleaning business, Choice Cleaning, with a partner and they built it up to 5 crews. In the fall of 2004, Denise decided to go back to school and enrolled at IBMC College, Fort Collins, receiving her Associates Degree in Accounting in 2006. After graduating, Denise became a fulltime caregiver for her son, Jonathan, whose MS was progressing. The past ten years she was able to get extra help caring for Jonathan and slip into retirement. She was always up for a game of Yahtzee; she was the "Yahtzee queen". She enjoyed crocheting, reading, collecting dolls, frogs, tailgating, camping and weekends in Estes Park. She will be sorely missed by family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Anton and Marlys, her stepmom: Genn, her beloved "best doggie in the whole wide world" Chewy.
Denise is survived by: her husband, Thomas (Tom) Goehring of Fort Collins, CO; her son Jonathan (Jonny) Goehring of Fort Collins, CO; her sisters: Donna (Jim) Soncrant of Moorhead, MN, Susie (Charlie) McConaughay of Princeton, MN, Sandy (Mike) Mietz of Lucerne, CA, Julie (Greg) Scholler of Grand Forks, ND, and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff, especially Nurse Julie, in the ICU at Poudre Valley Hospital for the exceptional care they provided for Denise.
In lieu of flowers the family requests a memorial be made to NOCO Humane, 3501 E 71st Street, Loveland, CO, 80538 or Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 1200 S Taft Hill Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521 in her name.
A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 1200 S. Taft Hill Rd., Ft. Collins, CO 80521.