Memorial service: June 22, 2018 at 11:00 am
Location: Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Sedona,
160 Mormon Hill Road Sedona, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Greenwood Youth Scholarship Fund which has been established to carry on Dena’s passion for helping young people become birders who will care for bird habitat and welfare.
Dena Greenwood passed away on June 11. Dena was a lovely, soft spoken woman who nevertheless was an outstanding public speaker. Combining that speaking skill with her extensive knowledge about birds made her very popular as a presenter. Frequently KSB asked her to make a presentation about some aspect of birding at our monthly Preserving the Wonder™ Speaker Series. She always attracted an overflow crowd, with standing room only for those who didn’t arrive early.
KBS board member Dave Norton remembers Dena from her bird walks. “For many years, Dena led free bird walks all over the Verde Valley and beyond, from Mingus Mountain to Flagstaff. I went on many and I was her spotter because for some reason, I could find an obscure bird for her to identify, and we did find some rare ones. There was quite a group that rotated in and out of her Wednesday bird walks.”
“Dena was a very special person who touched the lives of many.” When Joanne Kendrick first met Dena, she “was instantly drawn to her sweet spirit. Dena opened my eyes and ears to better understand and appreciate birds. I loved to hear her talk in her sweet, soft voice about the birds – how to recognize their coloring and their song. Our love of nature brought us close; her smile warmed my heart. I have lost a dear friend and a kindred spirit. She is gone, but not forgotten.”
Nancy Spinelli recalls that “Dena was a regular vendor for Jay’s Bird Barn at the Keep Sedona Beautiful Native Plant Workshop, sharing her expertise with all the attendees. Her gentle smile and manner allowed one to ask any question, no matter how trivial. She presented several times as well as being the keynote speaker in 2016 explaining the Ecological Interrelationships between Insects and Birds in Your Garden. Through Jay’s Bird Barn, she supported the NPW Silent Auction and donated little treasures for the ‘swag bags’ such as wildflower seeds, nesting balls and suet feeders. She was eager to help in any way she could, whether by supplying books or setting up displays. Dena was there to support and share her knowledge.”
Her expertise and passion about birds gave everyone a greater understanding and appreciation for our feathered friends. She was a treasure who will be sorely missed.