Gloucester - Gloucester - Denise Gallo, 74, of Gloucester, whose life resonated with the sounds of paws, hooves and wings, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her dog, Nina Simone, Mickey her cat, and her cockatiel, Sweet Pea, on Wednesday, July 9.

Born in Chelsea Nov. 14, 1950, Denise (Denne), the only child of Nicholas and Corrine (Rossetti) Gallo, spent her childhood in Chelsea, Revere, East Boston, and Peabody,, graduating from Peabody High School. Throughout her life, she returned to Chelsea to visit family and friends at her grandfathers store, Gallos Market.

As a teenager, Dennes love of animals led her to Suffolk Downs as a racehorse trainer, and thereafter to various racetracks throughout the U.S. She later worked as a paralegal for the U.S. Dept. of Justice in Boston and Worcester federal courts. After surviving three bouts of cancer, she took an early retirement in 1997.

In the early 2000s, Denne enrolled in the North Bennett Street School to learn jewelry making, creating intricate and imaginative pieces with stones and precious metals.

Throughout her life, Denne sketched and painted landscapes and portraits, realistic and fanciful, reflecting her love of art, nature and animals. In her later years she became an expert photographer.

In 2010, Denne moved into an old house on the Mill River in Gloucester, where she remained for more than 15 years until her death. Shed often say that she found peace in Cape Anns wild places, having never lived so happy in one place for so long. She took her dogs on daily walks, tended her flowers and vegetables, knew the names of her neighbors, their children and animals, and never missed a chance to lend a hand to anyone. She also boarded dogs and cared for various farm animals on Cape Ann.

Denne began volunteering at the Gloucester Stage Co. and was soon promoted to a paid position as stage manager where she worked for a couple of seasons. For the past five years, Denne was happy to be in the confines of her yard as she nurtured dozens of orphaned wild birds until they fledged.

She is survived by cousins Linda Fennelly, Carmen, Richie, and Ronald Gallo, Betty Horning, Barbara Heffron, Butchie Albano, Debbie Noyce, her adopted niece Robin Memory and her children, a special nephew Nicholas Memory, many nieces and nephews, an aunt Diana Rosetti, and dear friends Cheryl Davis, Michelle Fowler, Charlotte and Greg Ohannessian, Rachael Potts, Grace Schrafft, and the Zurbrigg-Stebbins family, all of Gloucester.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her stepmother, Mary Gallo, and cousins Lawrence and Robert Gallo.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, July 24, at the Welch Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea, from 4 to 7 p.m.

A celebration of Dennes life on Cape Ann will be held at a later date.

Gifts in her memory may be made to Cape Ann Wildlife, Inc., PO Box 405, Essex, MA 01929.