Denise C. Barger

The ethereal, beautiful Denise Coffey Barger went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at her residence in Staunton. 

She was born Denise Dean Coffey in Staunton, VA on October 24, 1966. 

Denise stayed a proud Augusta County girl her entire life, regardless of where she lived at any given time. Being the youngest of three, Denise early on cultivated her notorious flair and ability to stand out in any room she happened to find herself - traits that stuck throughout the years. 

As a child she was ultra-artistic (who knew a long skirt could double as flowing long hair?), creative (requiring her big brother Mike to perform puppet shows for her before she would go to sleep at night), and was always ready to tag along (“Ready? Okay!”). Like many in the family she was a spirited Riverheads Gladiator, graduating with the Riverheads High School Class of 1985. 

In her twenties, Denise reconnected with one of her Riverheads classmates, Donnie Barger. The two fell in love, eloped right down the road at Mint Spring United Methodist Church, and built their family together. She spent many years as an Army spouse, a warrior in her own right, often caring for her children single handedly while simultaneously supporting fellow Special Forces families, as well as her husband and his team from afar. 

After her husband was killed in the line of duty, she turned to her military community, her family, and her childhood best friends for healing and support. Denise and her entire family remain forever grateful to those of you who were there for them in their darkest times. Having experienced great loss and grief in her own life, she was inspired to lift up others around her as much as possible. 

Denise’s greatest passion in life was serving God through serving others. She was a founding member of Emerge Ministries in Stuarts Draft, VA, where she first served as their Youth Pastor and later as their Outreach Pastor. Denise danced when she felt like it, had never met a stranger, would give her last two pennies to anyone who might need them, remained strong in her faith through life’s many trials, and always remembered your birthday. 

A Bible verse that Denise often turned to was 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Denise always said that she was born to become a mother and she devoted her whole world to her children, loving them fiercely with all her heart. She was a determined advocate for her youngest baby girl and number one sidekick, Molly Jane, as well as for others with different abilities. 

Denise was your classic country girl with her own unique touch, driving her big pickup truck down the roads she grew up on while excitedly throwing her signature peace sign out the window to anyone she knew. 

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Wilson Coffey and Geneva Coffey (Pullin); her nephew, Joshua Kuykendall; and the love of her life, retired Special Forces Master Sergeant Donald (Donnie) Andreas Barger. 

Her radiant memory will be carried forward by her children, Teresa (Tess) Elizabeth Barger, Elijah Grey Barger, Ethan Gunner Barger, and Molly Jane Benson; her siblings, Teresa (Terri) Coffey, Michael (Mike) Coffey, and Justin Coffey; her stepmother, Beverley Coffey; her niece, Leah Grimes; her nephews, Benjamen Coffey, Griffin Coffey, Hunter Kuykendall, and Edward (Eddie) Coffey; her grand-nephew, Levi Kuykendall; her sisters-in-law, Carol Sue Coffey and Ellen Coffey; her nephew-in-law, Brian Grimes; her niece-in-law, Molly Coffey; her brother-in-law, Richard Barger; her mother-in-law, Theresia Barger; her honorary grandbabies, Barger Joseph Healey and Gabriel Mathew Healey; her lifelong best friend and sister, Shirley Matherly; and the many incredible friends and chosen family she made along life’s winding journey. 

Although she was with us on this Earth for far too short, we will forever remain grateful for Denise’s larger-than-life presence and the time we were blessed enough to have. 

The funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Mint Spring United Methodist Church, with Pastor Debbie Conover of Emerge Ministries officiating. She was Denise’s cousin, spiritual sister, and dear friend. 

Interment will follow at 11:30 AM in Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton.

A lunch at the family’s home (189 Howardsville Road, Staunton, VA), will take place directly following the funeral services and is open to all. 

Denise always said that her funeral day should be a celebration of her life, not a day of sadness. In order to honor this, her family requests that funeral attendees wear light or vibrant colors to represent the light and vibrance she brought to this world. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Denise’s loving memory to the Green Beret Foundation (P.O. Box 25138, New York, NY 10087-5138), the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) (1155 15th Street NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20005), or to Emerge Ministries (822 Churchmans Mill Rd, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477).