VERGENNES - Denver D. Sherman, 79, of Ste Genevieve, MO formerly of Vergennes, IL died at 12:44 a.m. June 14, 2012 in the Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, MO comforted by his wife, Donna, and his three children, Tanya, Jim, and Dawn. Denver was born on July 29, 1932 in his family's rural Vergennes home to August and Edith Stout Sherman. Denver, an avid St Louis Cardinals baseball fan, retired from Consol Coal after 31 years of employment. He graduated from Vergennes High School in 1950 and served 4 years in the United States Navy. He was of Protestant faith and member of the Faith United Methodist Church in Vergennes. Denver is survived by his wife, Donna Hicks Sherman, daughter Tanya (Bruce) McConkey of Uniontown, PA, son Jim (Tricia) Sherman of Houston, TX, daughter Dawn (Mike) Kirby of Cape Girarddeau, MO, grandchildren Shannon, Cameron, Kiera, Mia, Cole, Emily, Timothy, Julianne, and sister Eva Mae (Earl) Neace of Carlyle, IL. Denver leaves many friends and family members, as well as his canine friend, Rudy, who sat with him on his back deck. Denver was preceded in death by his parents, sister Nina McDonald, stillborn brother Lloyd, nieces Ruth Bullard and Patti Neace, brothers-in-law Charles McDonald and George Combs, sister-in-law Betty Hicks, and grandneice Erin McDonald. Graveside services will be held to honor his life on Saturday, June 16, 2012 10:00 am at the Birkner Cemetery on Sato Road in Ava, IL with Rev. Angie Baughman officiating. Everyone is asked to meet at the cemetery. Denver's visitation will be at Wilson Funeral Home in Ava, IL on Friday where friends may call from 5 to 8 pm. The preferred form of rememberance are memorials to Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary of Jackson, MO or to Birckner Cemetery. Posthumously, Denver would like to give his heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Southeast Memorial and Landmark hospitals for their loving care and superb professional services in the many days before his death and for the compassion offered to his family.