Michael Richard Denman

ST. PAUL, MN  /  PORTAGE, WI  –  Michael Richard Denman, age 27, of St. Paul, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at United Hospital in St. Paul.

Michael was born on December 2, 1984 in Portage, the son of Richard and Holly (Hilgendorf) Denman.  He graduated from Portage High School in 2003, and graduated from UW La Crosse with highest honors in 2007.  Michael was married to Kelly Slama on October 24, 2009.   He had a passion for baseball and travel.  Mike was blessed with a great gift for the written word.

He is survived by his wife, Kelly, St. Paul;  his parents, Richard and Holly Denman, Portage;  his brother, Matthew (Hannah) Denman and their son, Walter, of Big Sur, CA;  his sister, Megan Denman and her daughter, Natalie, of Portage;  his grandparents, Kathleen and William Hilgendorf, Janice Denman Derlein, and Larry Denman, all of Portage;  his mother- and father-in-law, Roger and Kathy Slama, Eastman;  his sister-in-law, Erin Slama, St. Paul;  his brother-in-law, Dan Slama and his son, Braden, of Onalaska;  his special companion and pet cat, Maxwell;  aunts, uncles, cousins, other near relatives and many close friends.  He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Rocky and Mary Moran, Nellie and Herbert Hilgendorf, Clarence and Grace Clary, Frank and Velva Denman;  and his grandfather, George Derlein. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 30, 2012 at St. Mary Catholic Church, 305 W. Cook St., Portage, Wisconsin, with Fr. Jim Murphy presiding.  Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, and on Monday from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. at the church.  There will be a Scripture Service on Sunday at 1:45 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for contributions to be made to various groups at a later date.

“Thank you for your kindness, your warmth, your strength
Thank you for seeing a dull coin in two ways
A wish in the fountain even if it don’t shine
I couldn’t be happier than when your hand is in mine”
Written by Michael Denman