of Yellville, AR
May 1, 1952 - November 14, 2025
Dena Joanna Andrews, 73, of Yellville, Arkansas, passed away at her home in Yellville on November 14th, 2025. She was born on May 2, 1952, to Florence Ethel (Dunn) and Joseph Oscar Emery.
Dena grew up with a spirit as independent as it was devoted. In 2002, she made her home in Arkansas after moving from Wolf Creek, Montana, bringing with her a deep love of the land, a readiness for anything, and a heart firmly rooted in family. She earned her bachelor's degree and spent her career in customer service and merchandise, where her patience, sharp mind, and easy humor made a lasting impact on everyone she worked with.
Dena was well known for her preparedness and her hands-on way of living. She was a proud Woodman, an avid gun enthusiast, and a dedicated prepper who loved teaching her family how to be self-reliant. She enjoyed canning, freeze-drying, dehydrating foods, tending her garden, and sharing the fruits of her labor with those she loved.
Her passions didn't end there, Dena adored horses and cherished the time she spent riding. She had a deep love for ballroom dancing and was even a dance instructor for a time, gliding through life with rhythm, energy, and grace. Her greatest joy, however, was being a grandmother. She poured love into every one of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, leaving each of them with special memories and a sense of being truly known. She also had a special bond with her beloved bird, Tommy, whose companionship meant the world to her. She also was an avid reader who always found comfort in her books
Dena is survived by her children: Ty (Crystal), William (Shawnee), Doug, and Teresa White; her siblings: Marylin Warner, Joseph Emery, Nancy McFarland, and Bill Emry; her grandchildren: Ann Marie Andrews, Abigail Joanna Andrews, Harleigh Burnette, Blake Andrews, Hope Andrews, Alyssa Andrews, and Logan Andrews; and her great-grandson, Corbin Andrews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Ernest Andrews; her parents Florence & Joseph Emery; her sister, Alice Taylor; and her adoptive sons, Nolan and William Tell.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Have a Heart Pet Shelter in Yellville, a no kill shelter organization close to Dena's heart.
A service will be held at a later date in Illinois, with details to be announced by her family.
Arrangements are in the care of Roller Burns Funeral Home in Yellville, Arkansas