Dena Smith of Oregon, 60, passed away peacefully on Nov. 13, 2022 at Oregon Rehabilitation Center.

Dena was born July 31, 1962, in Ottawa. She was the daughter of Philip and Virginia (Penoyer) Perkins. Dena completed two years of high school at Stillman Valley High School in Stillman Valley before the family moved to Texas. She continued her education and graduated in 1980 from Evant High School in Evant, Texas. Dena had two daughters: Virginia (Schwarz) Martinovich and Cassandra Thompson. On July 25, 2003, Dena married the love of her life, Gerald Smith. They celebrated 19 beautiful years together.

Dena previously worked at Avery Dennison, Rochelle, and Syncreon, Belvidere, where she made many lifelong friendships with many of her co-workers.

Dena and her husband enjoyed riding their Harley and took it on several trips to Sturgis. Later Dena and her husband became avid campers and loved camping and traveling and often took her daughters and grandchildren with them. Dena was the best grandmother to her amazing grandsons, Jayden, and Jaxson Martinovich. She loved having her grandchildren spend the weekend with her and watching them play sports. Dena enjoyed putting puzzles together, playing cards and games with her friends and family. Dena loved connecting with her family and friends and you could always count on her to know what was happening within the family. Dena will always be known for her homemade sugar cookies and peanut brittle that she enjoyed making with her daughters. If you knew her, she loved you fiercely. 

Dena is survived by her husband, Gerald Smith of Oregon, her daughters Virginia (Todd) Martinovich of Loves Park, Cassandra Thompson of Mount Morris, her grandsons Jayden and Jaxson Martinovich of Loves Park, her parents Philip and Virginia Perkins of Steward, her sisters Deborah (Perkins) Woodall of Sycamore, Dawn (Perkins) Johnson of Rochelle, nephews; Matthew Johnson, Brandon Johnson, and Christopher (Bridgette) Woodall and niece; Angela (Jose) Villarreal and many great nephews and great nieces and one great, great niece and many cousins and countless friends that she loved like family.

She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.