Dena F. Heasty, 77
Heasty
Dena Heasty (McBride) was born April 16, 1949, in Santa Monica, Calif., to James and Eloise McBride (Jacobus). Dena, 77, passed away peacefully at home June 4, 2026.
Growing up, Dena’s family moved wherever her father was assigned to work on missiles: New Mexico, Texas, Florida and California. She graduated from La Sierra High School in Carmichael, Calif., in 1967 and then attended American River College, where she earned a dental assistant certification.
On May 17, 1969, Dena married Ned Heasty in Reno, Nev. She moved with Ned to his duty station at Fort Gordon, Ga. They later lived in Napa, Sunnyvale, San Jose and Santa Clara, Calif., where their sons were born: Ross (1973) and Ryan (1975). The family moved to Springfield, Ore., in 1977 and later returned to the Sacramento area in 1989. In 2014, Dena and Ned moved to North Idaho.
Dena’s primary focus was being a devoted wife and mother, but her passion was teaching women and children about Jesus. Dena and a friend opened a successful preschool/kindergarten in Springfield, Ore., and she later taught elementary at Lakeside Christian School. Dena was a member of Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and was active in her home group and women’s Bible studies.
Dena loved to water ski, read historical novels, sew and had a talent for designing floral arrangements. Dena loved Jesus and was a devoted student of the Bible, reading and journaling daily.
Dena is survived by her husband, Ned, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; her son, Ross Heasty, his wife, Kimberley Stanfield, and granddaughter, Guinevere Heasty, of Gig Harbor, Wash.; her son, Ryan Heasty, his wife, Brooke Heasty (Andersen), and grandson, Spencer Heasty of Athol, Idaho; her sister, Launa Humphreys, of Ripon, Calif.
A celebration of Dena’s life will be held Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Candlelight Christian Fellowship, 5725 N. Pioneer Drive, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to North Idaho Young Life, www.giving.younglife.org
Please visit Dena’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.