Denise Zena

August 26, 1959 – October 15, 2026

“When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple.”

If ever there were a woman who was meant to wear purple, it was Veronica “Denise” Zena. Purple was more than just her favorite color it was part of who she was. Denise was a free spirit with a hippie soul, a little bit quirky, a little bit sparkly, and completely herself. She never tried to fit into anyone else’s idea of who she should be. She liked her tie-dye, her glitter, her jewelry, and a strong cup of black coffee.

Denise was born on August 26, 1959, in Jefferson City, Missouri, to Jannie Sirratt and Ronald Ehrhardt. She spent much of her working life caring for others as a phlebotomist at Sparks Hospital and Regional Medical Laboratory before retiring.

She was an artist at heart and loved crafting, creating, and making things with her own hands. Denise could find beauty in the unusual and joy in the little things. She was a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady, with a special fondness for black cats. She loved scary movies, true crime, and anything a little strange or spooky, but she also found comfort in early morning gospel hymns. She was the kind of person who could spend the morning listening to gospel music, the afternoon working on a craft, and the evening watching something that would have kept everyone else awake all night.

Denise was a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and her family was one of the most important parts of her life. She leaves behind generations of memories, laughter, stories, and love.

She is survived by her daughters, Shanda Layne, Brittany Zena, and Tiffany Zena; her son, Joe Zena; her sons-in-law, Brian Hutson, Brad Shepard, and Bryan Short; her grandchildren, Xandria, Erynn, Symin, Andru, Dixi, Daizi, Rhett, Blue, and Lennyx; her great-grandchildren, Rowan Gene, Eden Jayne, and Deacon; and her beloved grand-dog, Ivy. She is also survived by her sister, Dawn Nathan.

Denise was preceded in death by her beloved son, Jeremy Johnson; her parents, Jannie Morales and Ronald Ehrhardt; and several cherished aunts and uncles.

While her family mourns her passing, there is comfort in knowing that Denise has been reunited with those who went before her, especially her beloved son, Jeremy. After all the years apart, it is comforting to imagine them together again.

Denise will be remembered for her colorful spirit, her creativity, her love of all things unusual and spooky, and the way she could make life feel a little more interesting just by being in it. She will be remembered in every splash of purple, every handmade treasure, every black cat, every cup of strong coffee, and in the stories her family will continue to tell.

And if heaven has a dress code, we can be sure Denise is wearing purple, probably with a little glitter, and doing things her own way.

Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.