Dena Kay Caulkins

1954 - 2024

Dena Kay Caulkins

March 10, 1954 - December 19, 2024

Dena Kay Caulkins of Burke, Virginia, passed away on December 19, 2024. Dena was born March 10, 1954, in Syracuse, New York, to Gordon E. Caulkins (d. 2024) and Dorothy Amanda Maitland Caulkins (d. 2011). The family settled in Richmond, Virginia in 1962 where she attended George Wythe High School and danced with the Richmond Ballet. She went on to earn a Bachelor degree from Mary Washington College and a Masters in Dance Therapy from George Washington University. Dena had a long career of almost 38 years with the Internal Revenue Service, where she retired as a Senior Information Technology Specialist in 2015.

Throughout her life living in Northern Virginia, Dena was active with local theater, dance and singing groups. She was a member of The Little Theatre of Alexandria, the Alexandria Singers, and the Northern Virginia Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. She was also a member of the Clan Maitland Society of North America and supported various animal welfare groups including the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. She also enjoyed yoga, dance, music, travel and gardening and loved to go fishing with her father on Saint Simon's Island, Georgia where the family vacationed often.

Dena was predeceased by her parents as well as her brother, Michael Kent Caulkins (d. 2019) and her sister in law, Brenda Joyce Caulkins (d. 2023). She is survived by her sister, Lynne Caulkins Trice of Richmond, Virginia; her nephew, Yancey Gordon Caulkins of Macon, Georgia; her best friend Hillary Egeth of Gaithersburg, Maryland; and her father's cat, Mr. Pix, who she loved dearly.

If you would like to make a donation in remembrance of Dena, the family asks that you donate to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.