Denise Hess, 50, a Bayfield business owner, mother, and leader of the effort to find Dylan Redwine, died on Sunday, Oct. 2, from colo-rectal cancer.

Hess was a longtime friend of Elaine Hall, the mother of Dylan Redwine. After his disappearance from his father's home in Vallecito in November of 2012, Hess headed up local efforts to find Dylan. She organized search efforts and distributed thousands of flyers featuring a $50,000 reward for information.

She started a facebook page, Find Dylan Redwine, that later became Dylan Redwine - The Journey to Justice after his partial remains were found on Middle Mountain in June 2013. It has more than 32,000 followers today.

Hess owned a consignment clothing store and video store in Bayfield and was active in the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce. She joked about being a "crazy cat lady" and took in teenagers, dogs and cats who needed a home. She worked at Momentum 24/7 Fitness and as an advertising representative for the Pine River Times.

"I'm so happy she was blessed with amazing friends and forever memories," said her daughter, Sadie Hess.

Hess, known to many of her friends as Katt, was raised in the Nucla area and graduated from Cedaredge High School in 1984, then joined the U.S. Marines.

She is survived by her parents, Darren and Gail Jones of Cedaredge; her brother, Brian Jones of Cedaredge; a sister, Christy Pierce of Grand Junction; and three children, Jesse, Mason and Sadie Hess, all of Bayfield. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.