Denise Hines

1953 - 2025

Denise Hines

September 13, 1953 - November 22, 2025

Denise Michelle Hines (Fletcher) died on November 22, 2025 at the age of 72. She was five months into her third battle with lung cancer when her heart suddenly stopped beating; she'd given it all to us. Funeral Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel with Reverend Patti Meyer officiating. Fellowship and refreshments will follow at Country Celebrations Event Center, 5606 Hamilton Blvd, Sioux City. Visitation, with the family present, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, November 28th at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to STARS, Inc, 33148 K-22, Sioux City, Iowa 51108. Online condolences may be offered to Denise's family at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Denise was born on September 13, 1953, in Savannah, Ga. to Gail and Willis Fletcher, Jr. She was the second of six siblings, Cynthia, Constance, Wendy, Deidre, Willis Henry III. After losing her mother at age 12 and her father at age 17, Denise stepped into roles that would define the rest of her life: matriarch and caregiver.

She gave birth to three children, Tim, Gayle, and Marc. She welcomed Brandan and Christian as her own when she married Todd on October 13, 1979. She fostered several children and was a surrogate mother to countless others. Whatever the world gave to her was theirs.

Denise was everyone's first call. She quietly shouldered others' pain and proudly exulted in their joy. She was the loudest fan in the stands and the first to stand for an ovation. She protected those she loved from harm, hunger, and, when necessary, themselves. Her home and her heart were eternally open.

Denise was the kind of mother every child wanted, and every mother wanted to be: tireless, firm, doting, and capable. She was equally comfortable changing car tires and installing motherboards as she was fixing holiday meals for thirty. Her mastery in the kitchen was legendary: Sunday fried chicken, silken cheesecakes, sinful biscuits and gravy, and a Christmas cookie production that would exhaust a Keebler Elf.

Later, small humans started calling her Nana: Paige, Jadyn, Zoe, Nicholas, Grace, Haley, Makenzie, Rylan, Titan, Ira, and Gus. The newest generation called her Two-Nana. She called them Oliver and Nola. Elise and Truitt didn't get to say her name but felt her love all the same. To them, she was everything she was as a mother, but grand.

Denise had a horse named Harley. He was 16 hands tall and she felt her freest astride him on trails north of town. When she couldn't ride, she read. Her favorite song was by Norman Greenbaum.

Denise's family welcomes the public for a visitation on November 28th at 5 p.m. and a funeral service on November 29th at 11 a.m., both at Meyer Brothers Funeral Home on Hamilton Boulevard. After the service, the family will host a meal at Country Celebrations Event Center.

Together, we'll recommend her to the Spirit in the Sky.

Meyer Brothers Funeral Homes

3220 Stone Park Blvd

Sioux City, IA 51104

7122550131