Dena M. Niehaus

Dena M. Niehaus was born July 8, 1955, the daughter of Donald and Sharlie Ballantine. She died Sunday, October 9, 2016, at St. Anthony’s Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, at the age of sixty-one.
Dena was born in Denison, Iowa. She received her education in the AR-WE-VA Community Schools and graduated with the class of 1973. On May 30, 1974, Dena was united in marriage to Rodney Niehaus at St. Ann Catholic Church in Vail, Iowa, by Fr. Clark. The couple made their home in Vail and were blessed with the birth of three children. Dena worked as a nurses aid at St. Anthony in Carroll; did various jobs around Vail and Burcliff in Manning. She returned to school at WIT to earn her LPN certificate, subsequently working in Nursing Homes in Manning and Manilla until retiring in 2007.
Dena loved preparing for the holidays and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling to New Mexico spending time with her mother and fishing trips to Leach Lake. Also enjoyed watching Turner Classic Movies, spending time with her mother-in-law and socializing on the phone with family and friends.
Dena was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Fred. Survivors include her husband, Rodney; one daughter, Amy and her husband, Kirk; two sons, Tony and his wife, Amy; and Danny and special friend, Erin; four grandchildren, Logan, Elizabeth, Khloe and AJ.; four brothers, Joe, Dan, George, and Donnie and his wife, Sue; sister-in-law, Barb; and mother-in-law, Darlene; other relatives and friends.