Dena Merry, age 47, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. A visitation will be held from 2-4:00 PM Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids.
Dena was born on May 8, 1978, in West Covina, CA, to Roger and Shirley (Hagedorn) Richardson. Dena spent her childhood growing up in Elgin, IL; Big Stone City, SD; and Spring, TX. She graduated from Ortonville High School in Ortonville, MN, in May, 1997. Then, she attended Lake Area Technical College for cosmetology. She graduated in May 1999, and started working in Sioux Falls, SD, for Fantastic Sams.
Dena met her husband, Jeremy John Merry, of Dell Rapids, SD, in the summer of 2000, at Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse in Sioux Falls, SD. They married September 1, 2001, at the First Baptist Church in Dell Rapids, SD. Dena had a son, Michael Jeremy Merry, on September 19, 2003, and a daughter, Rachel Mae Merry, on December 1, 2006, who are the light of her life. Dena wanted to be a mother, so she was home to care for them growing up.
Dena enjoyed watching her children grow up and spending time with many friends and family. She also enjoyed going to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with Jeremy.
Dena is survived by her husband, Jeremy Merry, of Dell Rapids; son, Michael Merry, of Sioux Falls; daughter, Rachel Merry, of Dell Rapids; parents, Roger (Kathy) Richardson of The Woodlands, TX, and Shirley Richardson of Dell Rapids; brothers: Thomas (Shelia) Richardson of Spring, TX, and Roy (Patti) Brown of San Diego, CA; sister, Kory (James) Knight of Stamford, CT; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.
Dena was preceded in death by her grandparents: Leonard and Clarice Hagedorn; Ralph Richardson; Margaret Uccardi; aunts: Sharon Unterkircher; Sue McMahon; Joyce Hyatt; uncles: Roger Hagedorn and Robert “Bob” Richardson; and best friend, Nicole (Hansen) Weissenfluh.
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