Dena was born in La Grange, Illinois on April 13, 1970 to Rena A. Tizzard and Thomas W. Tizzard. Dena was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Dena was a child of God, and she lived to please the Lord. She was very enthusiastic about letting people know who God was, and what a miracle He was in her life.
Dena was kind, selfless, loving, generous and always willing to help others. She was a positive light, and her smile could light up a room. She had a great sense of humor and always tried to bring positivity to any situation. She always put others before herself no matter the situation because it brought her joy knowing she could help them and bring peace to the situation.
Dena had two older sisters and one younger sister. She very much loved her family and would always be there to give advice or assistance whenever possible. She was unwavering in her support of her family no matter the circumstances. She was always neutral, a voice of reason in any situation. She also loved her extended family which included aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, great nieces and great nephew.
Mark and Dena were married for 34 years. Their marriage was beyond compare, a testimony of the love they shared; their true commitment to one another. One of God’s greatest gifts was bringing them together to share this extraordinary love. Their marriage was filled with lots of laughter and joy.
The joy and love they shared resulted in two children, and Dena considered being a mother to Kelly and Zachary one of the greatest joys of her life. She also felt incredibly blessed to be a mother figure to Melissa and Chris. Her joy continued when she became a grandmother to Alex, Andrew and baby Rena. She enjoyed every aspect of being a mother and grandmother. Watching her children grow and mature through the years brought her a sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Her love and devotion also extended to her husband, Mark’s, family. She loved being a daughter-in-law and sister-in-law.
Dena was a very caring person and that carried over into a love for all animals, especially cats. Those who knew her would laugh and called her the crazy Cat Lady. Not only did she take care of her own pets, but she also fed a multitude of stray cats, which is a testament to her loving and caring nature.
Dena joined her predeceased family members: Thomas Tizzard, Jerry Jenkins and Krystin Kozlowski.
Dena is survived by her husband, Mark, her four children Melissa, Chris (Amber), Kelly (Eric) and Zachary (Janna); her grandchildren, Alex, Andrew and Baby Rena; her mom, Rena Tizzard; Sisters, Kimberlee Jo (Mike); Shannon (Ricky) and Terri; her mother-in-law, Dorene; brother-in-law, John (Rhonda); sister-in-law, Shawna; Aunt Bougie (Jan); Aunt Nita; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Friday, August 22, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Kaul Funeral Home, 28433 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores. A funeral service will take place Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home.
