'The partner of Denice Denton claims she was mistakenly left out of the late UC Santa Cruz chancellor's will and is suing Denton's estate for $2.25 million.

Denton, who died June 24, 2006, after jumping from a San Francisco high-rise where her former partner Gretchen Kalonji lived, left her estate to her three siblings. She was 46.

Kalonji, her partner of more than 10 years, filed suit in Santa Cruz County Superior Court in June after her attempts to negotiate with Denton's family for a portion of the estate - which includes at least two homes, a six-figure life insurance policy and more than $700,000 in other assets - faltered.

"This really kicks sand in the face of her mother and her siblings," said James Farrar, a Watsonville attorney representing Denton's mother, Carolyn Mabee, who is also the executor of her daughter's estate. "This is tragic. She died a tragic death and then this woman files a lawsuit."

The lawsuit alleges Kalonji and Denton were in a long-term monogamous relationship and had a verbal agreement to provide support, companionship, care and domestic service to each other. Should something happen to one of them, the other would be taken care of and provided for, according to the suit.

"It's just a bunch of lies, that's all it is," Mabee said on the phone from her home in Houston before hanging up.

Kalonji's attorney, Charles Wolff, said it was a mistake or oversight that Denton's will doesn't mention her life partner.

"Like any other couple, they had agreements and arrangements," said Wolff, who practices in San Francisco.

For example, he said, Denton had told Kalonji she would name her as the beneficiary of her UC life insurance policy.

UC officials declined Friday to comment on what Denton's benefits were and how they were dispersed, but according to Farrar, Denton didn't leave the insurance money to anyone and the policy has been split between Mabee and Denton's estranged father in accordance with UC protocol.

Kalonji also was left out of Denton's will, which was certified in July 1985 - nine years before the women started dating in Seattle.

"She didn't make any changes to that. She had plenty of time to do it," said Farrar, who questioned the couple's status at the time of Denton's suicide.

Wolff declined to comment on why Denton's will wasn't updated ...'

---san jose mercury news---