Dena Kathleen Landry

Dena Kathleen Landry, age 77, passed away peacefully at her home in Bastrop, Texas, on September 15, 2024. Born in Houston, Texas, on July 21, 1947, she spent much of her life in the city she loved. As a child, Dena enjoyed outdoor adventures like camping and fishing with her older brother, while also embracing her feminine side. As her love for the arts blossomed, she immersed herself in dance and studied ballet for nearly a decade. In the mid-1960s, at age 19, she captured the spotlight as the iconic Au-Go-Go Girl for the Houston Astrodome's scoreboard, a technological marvel at the time. It was a role that became a defining part of Dena's vibrant legacy. She also had a deep appreciation for classical music, was a gifted poet, and an exceptional freehand artist, spending countless hours sketching whatever inspired her. A free spirit at heart, Dena dabbled in modeling and was even a playboy bunny at the San Francisco Playboy Club. A brief adventure in Las Vegas bore one of her most treasured memories: the night Elvis Presley leaned down from the stage during a concert to give her a kiss on the lips—a story she delighted in sharing. Dena was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd J. Landry and Frances R. Kennedy, and her brother, Loyd A. “Sonny” Landry. She leaves behind her two nieces, Lea Long and Sherri Landry, along with many other grand and great nieces and nephews who will forever remember her vivacious personality and zest for life. GO-GO!