Denise M. Cattiaux

Denise Cattiaux, 77, of Hollis died peacefully on Monday, November 9, 2026.

Born December 19, 1948 in Montreal, Canada, Denise was the daughter of Léopold Jacques and Hélène Jacques. She met her lifelong love, Jacques Cattiaux, from Lille, France in Montreal, Canada. They shared 53 wonderful years of marriage.

She married Jacques in both Montreal and in France, so that both sides of their families could celebrate their union.

Jacques & Denise started a business in France, brought it to America and ran the successful Upper Dimension beauty salon for 50 years in Nashua, NH. She was beloved by her employees and customers. And she took pride in the business and clients they grew to love.

Denise was a strong, yet tender woman. She faced many challenges in her life by persevering with courage and determination. She was a loving person. She was a light amongst us with her joyful nature and love of laughter. She had a hunger for learning. She took evening college courses while raising 3 young girls, cooking classes, piano lessons after retiring, and was an avid reader. She was known throughout Hollis for being seen taking her five mile walks with a book in hand. Denise was a deep thinker, inquisitive, asking deep questions, often philosophical and theological. Her favorite question was, "How do you know?" She was cultured, stylish, appreciative of fine foods, music, arts. She loved traveling to France and visiting family, or attending the latest hair/fashion shows in Paris.

Denise had a passion for cooking fine foods. Her beautiful, long-time home in Hollis often turned into a 5-star restaurant as she and the love of her life, Jacques, sharing the same appreciation for French cuisine, hosted so many loved ones. If she wasn't busy cooking for her own family, she would enjoy get-togethers with her gourmet monthly dinner club with local couples. She'd invite families from church, families in need and close friends for the holidays. But she would never share her "secret" recipes as food was one of her many draws to have family and friends over and coming back again and again. Guests would say, "Denise, could we get that recipe...?" "Next time or not today" was her typical response.

Above all else, she loved sharing her enthusiasm for life and all of its riches with her husband, 3 daughters and their families. Denise's whole world was her family. She loved and was proud of them. And proud of the home that she and Jacques created for their family. She spent a lot of her free time with her grandkids, so playful, attentive and engaging, playing games, attending various sporting events, recitals, etc. Denise also loved and cherished all of Jacques' family in France and stayed connected with his beloved siblings, and their shared nieces and nephews. Her strong relationships with them to this day are a testament of her loving, loyal and caring nature.

If she wasn't talking about her family, she was most certainly talking about her Lord and Saviour. Her faith defined her. It carried her in the hard times, it encouraged her in the mundane, it brought her peace in the chaos, joy in the sadness and most of all, assurance of a new life after hers on earth was done. She loved to share the good news and sought every opportunity to tell others, whether it was to women behind bars in prisons, or those who sat in her chair at the salon. Even in the last few months of her life, Denise's greatest concern was always "How can God still use me?" Her caring heart, loving spirit, encouraging smile and joyful presence has left a profound impact on all who knew her.

She was truly one-of-a-kind. She leaves such a hole in the hearts of her family, and those who knew and loved her, but also a legacy that will carry on forever.

Denise was a loving wife, mother, aunt and grandmother. She is survived by her daughter Brigitte and her husband John of Rye; daughter Isabelle and Philip Breeding of Flower Mound, Texas; daughter Vanessa and her husband Ryan of Amherst; grandchildren Sophia, James, Nathalie, Charles, Chloe, Tyler, Lea, Simon and Spencer in the United States.

She is also survived by sister-in-law Dora Gillet of Sars-Bara, France; sister-in-law Annie DeFruit & her husband Roland of Douai, France; brother-in-law Jean-Pierre Cattiaux & his wife Michelle of Perpignon, France; brother-in-law Claude Cattiaux & his wife Genevieve of Chamonix, France; and several cherished nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

SERVICES: A wake will be held on Sunday, November 15th from 3:00-5:00 pm at Smith & Heald Funeral Home in Milford, NH. The burial will be on Monday morning at 10:00 am at East Cemetery in Hollis, NH. Family and friends are invited to attend.

Those who wish may send flowers to Smith & Heald Funeral Home in Milford, NH.