- Date Of Birth: April 25, 1944
- Date Of Death: September 27, 2014
- State: Indiana
Dena Kaye (Cleveland) Barger, 70, died Saturday Sept. 27, 2014 in Indianapolis. She was a resident of New Whiteland.
She was born April 25,1944 in Indianapolis to the late Red and Billie Cleveland.
She graduated in 1975 from one of the first nurse practitioner programs at Indiana University. She continued to pioneer in the nurse practitioner profession starting one of the first nurse partitioner run clinics in Westport, Indiana in 1976. She obtained a Master’s of Science in Family Counseling at Butler University, specializing in children play therapy.
She was a former president of the Indiana Nurses State Association, former school board member of the Clark Pleasant Community School Corporation 2009-2011, and briefly served as a Brown County Deputy Sheriff in the early 1980’s.
She enjoyed camping, music, fishing, woodworking, bowling and horses. She was an Indianapolis Colts fan. She enjoyed all sports and coached several youth sports teams over her lifetime. Many of her other talents included lead singing and playing guitar in two bands; Dena and the Crickets, and Stones Crossing in the 1970’s and she learned to be an auctioneer. Above all else, Dena loved helping others and was always pursuing further education and knowledge in order to do so. She was a member of the Risen Lord Lutheran Church in Bargersville, IN.
Surviors include companion of 20 years, Julie Sandine of New Whiteland, eight children, Tommie D. Barger of Kokomo, Randall L. (Cindy) Barger of Brownsburg, Jamie L. (Steve) Raney, Taylor Murray, Molly Sandine-Barger and Jake Sandine-Barger all of New Whiteland, Patty “Pepper”(Paco) Snow-Rodriguez of Franklin and Dustin Murray of Greenwood, seven grandchildren, Josh, Courtney, Dre, and Christian Barger, Miranda, Cara and Stephanie Raney and two great-grandchildren, Kaiden and Karsen Akers and former husband, Tom Barger of Morgantown.
