Dena Mae (Sells) Taggart

Dena Mae Taggart, 78, of Prairie Home passed away suddenly on Monday, February 21, 2022, at St Joseph Hospital in Lake St. Louis, surrounded by her loving family.   

Dena was born on December 19, 1944, to Jodie and Marjorie (George) Sells in Prairie Home.  She graduated from Prairie Home High School in 1962.   Dena had a competitive spirit and excelled in sports playing high school basketball, softball and cheerleading.  Thru her brother Bob, she met and married the love of her life, Edward Taggart on July 18, 1964.   They lived in Prairie Home raising their two  daughters.    

Dena’s family was the sole focus in her life.  She loved being surrounded by family, playing games, listening to music and laughing.  Her laugh was infectious and her squeals of delight and enthusiasm when playing games with her family made everyone laugh.  She adored her grandchildren, taking care of them, loving them, protecting them and always putting their needs and the needs of her family before her own.   Dena loved watching her daughters and grandchildren in all of their extracurricular activities and was so proud of their accomplishments.  She was an avid sports fan who loved watching college basketball and professional football.  She also enjoyed working and being outdoors. As a hobby, Dena made beautiful flower arrangements and wreaths for family and friends.  She was fiercely independent and a very private person who never wanted to worry others.  She was loved and will be dearly missed.

Dena is preceded in death by her parents, Jodie and Marjorie Sells, husband Edward Taggart, sister Jean Foster, and brothers Jimmy Sells and Jerry Sells. She is survived by her daughters Dana (David) Bailey and Heather Taggart, and three grandchildren, Lauren and Jackson Bailey and Camryn Cullmann, all of Lake St. Louis.  Dena also leaves behind brothers Bob Sells of Prairie Home, Wayne (Annette) Sells of Columbia, Donald (Brenda) Sells of Prairie Home, sisters-in-law Kay Sells and Glenda Sells, both of Prairie Home, and in-laws Nancy and James Farris of Lee Summit as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A private (family) service will be held on Thursday, March 3rd at 11 am at Howard Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Prairie Home United Methodist Church or the Prairie Home High School. 

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