Carolyn Denise "Denise" Vode

Carolyn Denise “Denise” Vode, 74, of Hobart, Indiana, passed away on September 8, 2026. Born May 8, 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee, Denise was raised in the Miller neighborhood of Gary, Indiana, and attended Wirt High School. To most, she was simply Denise or “Dee.” To her family, she was lovingly known as “Denny” or “Aunt Denny.” Denise was a strong, loving and fiercely devoted woman whose life centered around the people she cared about. She was smart, independent, never afraid to make a decision and certainly never afraid to tell someone exactly what she thought. She rarely sugarcoated anything. At the same time, she possessed a warmth that made people feel comfortable and welcome. Above everything else in Denise’s life was her only son, Michael Joseph Vode. Being a mother was not simply one part of Denise’s life—it was her purpose. Michael was her world, and from the day he was born, Denise was loving, protective, supportive and immensely proud of him. If you knew Denise, chances are you knew about Michael within the first few minutes. She took tremendous pride in watching him grow up, graduate college, build a successful life and eventually marry his wife, Nadia. More than anything, Denise wanted to know that her son would be okay someday. She got to see that. Their relationship remained incredibly close throughout her life. Denise always had sound advice to give and would much rather carry someone else’s worry herself than let them carry it alone. There was nothing she would not have done for her son, and nothing Michael would not have done for his mom. Denise shared more than four decades of marriage with Michael John “Mickey” Vode. Married in 1984, the two built a life centered around their family, their home and Mickey D’s Bar in Hobart. Mickey had his larger-than-life personality, while Denise brought her own strength, practicality and decisiveness to their life together. Through the years, they raised their son, ran Mickey D’s together and created a home filled with family and memories. When Denise began experiencing physical limitations later in life, Mickey became a devoted caregiver to his wife. He looked after her, helped her and stood beside her. Through the good years and the difficult ones, they remained a team. One of the most treasured relationships of Denise’s life was with her younger sister, Pam Shippen. Denise and Pam were sisters, but they were also lifelong best friends. They did nearly everything together, enjoyed many of the same things, looked alike and even sounded alike. As the older sister, Denise had always been Pam’s protector, and there were few people who knew her better. “Aunt Denny” also shared a particularly close relationship with her niece Jamie Bombagetti and Jamie’s daughters, Savannah, Laila and Danica, and was close with her nephew Chad Thrasher. She loved having family over to swim, relax by the pool, talk and simply spend time together. For more than three decades, Denise was co-owner of Mickey D’s Bar alongside Mickey. The bar was far more than a business to her. It was a major part of her life and another place where she created a family around herself. Denise was a natural businesswoman—decisive, strong-minded and never willing to take much nonsense from anyone. People respected her confidence and knew she genuinely cared about the people around her. The people who worked for Denise also knew how deeply she cared. She especially loved the women who worked behind the bar and often took the bartenders under her wing, treating them less like employees and more like members of the family. She offered advice, looked out for them and cared about what was happening in their lives. Many relationships that began at Mickey D’s grew into genuine friendships. That combination was Denise. She could be tough when she needed to be, but she was also warm, welcoming and incredibly easy to talk to. Denise was a talker and could “gab” about just about anything. Conversations with her had a way of simply continuing, and she made people around her feel comfortable. Family, holidays and traditions were important to Denise. She wanted birthdays and Christmases to feel special and understood that those were the moments that became some of a family’s best memories. She loved cooking for everyone, and if Denise was cooking, you had better like spaghetti. Denise was a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan who watched seemingly every game and was never shy about yelling at the TV when the Cubs failed to meet her expectations. She was also a huge Chicago Bears fan. She especially loved Elvis Presley and enjoyed country music, including Brooks & Dunn. She loved watching TV, talking on the phone and spending time around the pool. When she was younger and in good health, she also enjoyed traveling, taking cruises and spending time with friends. Denise loved Nadia and was happy to see Michael build a life with her. Denise and Nadia had a relationship of their own and enjoyed talking on the phone and going together to get their nails done. Denise and Mickey were both able to be there when Michael and Nadia married in October 2025, a memory their family will always cherish. Denise was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Agnes Pitzarell; her brother, Joe Pitzarell; her sister, Debbie Pitzarell; and her beloved husband, Mickey Vode. Mickey passed away on August 19, 2026. Denise followed him just 20 days later. After more than four decades of marriage and a lifetime spent raising their son, running a business, creating a home and growing older together, their time apart was heartbreakingly brief. Denise is survived by her son, Michael Joseph Vode and his wife, Nadia; her sister and lifelong best friend, Pam Shippen (Chuck); her niece, Jamie Bombagetti (Eddie), and nephew, Chad Thrasher; Savannah, Laila and Danica; the extended Vode family; and the many extended family members, friends, bartenders, patrons and familiar faces whose lives were made better by knowing her. There were many sides to Denise. She was Dee at Mickey D’s—the strong, smart businesswoman who could make the tough decisions and still make you feel like part of the family. She was Denny and Aunt Denny—the big sister, protector, aunt and friend who wanted the people she loved close to her. She was Mickey’s wife and partner for more than four decades. And she was Mom—the role she treasured above all others. Denise spent her life loving and looking after the people who mattered to her. She wanted her family close and the people around her taken care of. Denise Vode will be remembered for her strength, her honesty, her warmth, her love of family, her years at Mickey D’s and the countless relationships she built throughout her life. She was deeply loved, and she loved just as deeply in return. Services will be held at Burns Funeral Home & Crematory 10101 Broadway Crown Point, Indiana 46307. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. with a service beginning at 6:00 P.M. Please visit Denise’s online guestbook and obituary at www.BurnsFuneral.com

Carolyn Denise "Denise" Vode

May 8, 1952 - September 8, 2026