Obituary of Dena Mae Heeney

HEENEY DENA

     Dena Mae Heeney, age 47 of Yankton, SD took her own life on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 and presented the gift of organ and tissue donation to so many, Friday, April 19, 2024.  Memorial service will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, June 8, 2024 at the River Rock Event Center, 2901 Broadway Ave., Yankton, SD with Rev. Ron Johnson officiating.  Visitations will begin at noon and continue until service time on Saturday.  The Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Onsite Crematory is assisting the family with the service details.  Online condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.  Live streaming of Dena’s service can be found at: https://my.gather.app/remember/dena-heeney. 

      Dena Mae Heeney was born January 16, 1977 in Burlington, Iowa. She was adopted by her parents Duane and Diane Heeney on their 10^th wedding anniversary, June 10, 1977, also in Burlington, Iowa, at the age of 5 mos. Old. She joined a sister, Dawn Rae, age 7 yrs. Old.

      Dena grew up in Storm Lake, Iowa. She enjoyed roller skating and swimming despite seven surgeries to her feet (before age five) to correct a condition she was born with called “ Club-Feet.” It was back then that began Dena’s love of fashion. She always wanted high heels but couldn’t wear them after surgery so flipflops became her lifelong love.

      A favorite job memory Dena talked about was working at Harbor Lights for Chef Rikka (Erica Wright Kostal) making menu items as well as some pretty amazing memories. She talked about baking bread and making dip with Erica, going with her after work, and decorating with her. Years later Dena would call Willa’s in a moment’s notice with her lunch order to be delivered to the salon in a pinch. Chef Rikka would even prepare Dena’s family dishes Dena brought to holidays.

      Dena married Aric Wiese in a beautiful beach ceremony in Jamaica. They lived for a time in Holstein, Iowa.

     After their divorce, Dena moved back to South Dakota and worked for AT & T. She loved to tell stories of the coworker friends she cherished and the customers she met and got to know during her time with that company.

     Dena was a stage 4 cancer survivor. Because of this she was unable to have children of her own. That never stopped her from being “Aunt Dena”, “Deener”, “Deenie”, to every child that ever came in to her life.

     Dena found her true calling attending Iowa School of Beauty to become a nail technician/artist. Dena never saw a bottle of polish she couldn’t name or a design she couldn’t master. She could run an entire salon from her little chair at the base of her pedicure chair. She could find anyone or anything for you. She was an amazing nail artist who truly loved what she did. She could sell retail like a “whiz” giving mini infomercials. She could handle any “situation” that walked through the door. Most times that could prove to be pretty entertaining.

     Dena did everything in her life with passion…the way she entered a room, the way she laughed, the way she told a story, the way she danced, the way she loved the beach, the way she celebrated life, the way she felt about her pups, the way she felt about her friends, and the way she felt about her family. She was a true character. (I love you, Kid)

Gone too soon…forever missed.

Dena is survived by her fur babies Bentley and Beatrix, her sister Dawn (Lonnie) Kabella, nephew Levi (Molly) Kabella, nephew Dominic Kabella, nephew Antani Kabella, Niece Lexi and great nephew Dylan and great niece Zoey

     Dena is preceded in death by her mother Diane Mae Heeney in 2009 and her father Duane Heeney in 2011.