BIRDENA CHEATHAM

Birdena (Dena) Marcia Cheatham, 59, courageously transition into eternal life after a brief illness on Wednesday June 1, 2022. She was born in Barberton, Ohio on September 1, 1962, to the union of the late Elder Arnold Cheatham and Ola Mae Cheatham.

Birdena accepted Jesus Christ into her life as her personal Savior. She was a member of Unity Holiness Ministries, Akron, Ohio.

Dena attended Akron Public Schools. She took up cosmetology.  She was a graduate of Garfield High School Class of 1980. She went on to become a Mary Kay Consultant. She also worked in various entry-level positions.

Dena loved makeup and had a flare for fashion. She would come up with all types of collective clothing designs. She liked to color, draw, and paint; it was fun to her and how she expressed her feelings. She had lots of fun coming up with creative brush designs. Her art time was precious to her.

Dena liked going shopping and out to eat. She loved to dance, listen to music, and sing melodies of her heart. She found peace in taking long walks in the park while listening to soft music. She loved going to Church to hear the Word of God.

Dena enjoyed girl talks and putting a bug in you hear with the latest news and conversations about life. And even though she didn’t say this we believe she found pleasure in asking you for a ride somewhere and making a day of it; those rides are now called the Adventures with Dena.

Dena is preceded in death by her father, Elder Arnold Cheatham; grandson, Jordan Cheatham; granddaughter McKinley Cheatham; nephews, Michael Cheatham, Gabe Cheatham; great nephews, Dylan Armond Bailey, Sincere Flint, Joshua Flint, and Disraeli Palmer.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children who surrounded her with love; son, John Gregory Isaiah Jr., daughters; Jacqueline Cheatham, Daytoya (Robert) Visger, and Keyaira Cheatham. Grandson; Ayden Cheatham, granddaughters; Trinity Cheatham and Violet Visger.

She is also survived by her loving family who cared for her during her brief illness; mother, Ola Mae Cheatham, siblings; brothers, Arnold Cheatham, Maritte (Denise) Cheatham and Jonathan Cheatham; sisters; Stephanie Diane Chambers-Palmer, Janetta Williams, Reva Link,  Gwenola (Kenneth) Freeman, Wanda (Woodrow) Nash, Lisa (Perry) Clark, Yolanda Cheatham of Lithonia Georgia, Phoebe (Luke) Haskin of San Antonio Texas, and Sonia Vanessa Cheatham; loving companion of 20+ years Theodore Melton, 30 nieces and nephews; 69 great nieces and nephews; 28 great-great nieces and nephews, along with a host of uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.

Dena loved butterflies.  The butterfly has become a metaphor for transformation and hope; across cultures, it has become a symbol for rebirth and resurrection, for the triumph of the spirit and the soul over the physical prison, the material world. Among the ancients, is the emblem of the soul unconscious attraction towards light. Dena, you have ascended to the light, to Heaven so fly, fly, fly high our beautiful butterfly Dena.

Repass to follow burial at City of Joy Life Enrichment Center, 610 W. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44302

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