Denny Charles Denman, age 78 of Valparaiso, IN, formerly of Park Forest and Olympia Fields, IL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at his home. He was born April 27, 1944, in Chicago, IL to the late James Denman and Margaret “Peg” (Broadhurst) Meyer. As a student, Denny was a top athlete at both Rich East High School in Park Forest, IL and Illinois State College in Normal, IL, excelling in football, basketball, and track, and still holding numerous records in all three. He had over 40 years of coaching, specifically basketball, at many schools in the south suburbs of Chicago including, Bremen HS, Hillcrest HS, Oak Forest HS, Rich South HS, and Rich Central HS, and spent almost equal time at Bremen HS and Oak Forest HS teaching PE and Drivers ED. For his teams, Coach Denman was constantly finding ways to make his team better. He spent countless nights scouting the teams they would be facing, infinite hours on the court practicing, and, of course, commanding the sideline with maximum volume at basketball games. The thousands of athletes he trained and celebrated victories with as well as suffered losses will be slow to forget such a strong personality both on and off the court.
Denny was a loyal Chicago Cubs fan, an amateur sports statistician, a captivating storyteller, and most importantly, a dedicated family man. He was selfless and generous in always providing for his family’s needs above his own. Denny will be remembered as an inspiring educator, respected coach, loving husband, devoted father, and beloved papa. While he will be dearly missed, his legacy lives on in the lives he touched while he was here.
Denny is survived by his children: Christopher (Rhonda) Denman and Michele (Rick) Baumgardner; grandchildren: Lukas, Merric, Blake, Casey, and Beckett Denman and Isabella and Jack Baumgardner; dear friends, Dani and Tim Shaw; and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Jean (Vogt) Denman; and brothers: Jim and Frank Denman.
As per Denny’s wishes, services were private and with family.
