William “Bill” Neville Denman, of Huntington, WV passed away on June 16, 2026, at The Village at Riverview. He is survived by his wife of almost 57 years, Dr. Sarah N. Denman (Newman), his daughter Katherine Denman, his sister Joan E. Denman (Leslie Innis), sister-in-law Sue Akers (Newman), brother-in-law Gary Akers, niece Jennifer Akers and his favorite fur baby Precious (the cat).
Bill loved teaching, he loved his family, but his life-long passion was the constant fight for civil liberties for all.
He was born in Los Angeles, CA on November 28, 1940, to Oscar Neville Denman and Marian Elizabeth Denman (LaRue). He graduated from California State University in 1962 and then went on to earn his Masters in 1966 from CSU as well. He joined the Marshall Department of Speech in 1965 and earned his Ph.D. from Ohio University in 1974. He met his wife Sarah at Marshall University and they married in 1969.
During this time at Marshall, he directed and acted in various theatrical productions and worked with the speech team starting in the 1970s before taking over as director in the1980s. In 1986, he became the founding director of the newly created Society of Yeager Scholars.
He also served as Chair of the Department of Communication Studies and Interim Director of the Integrated Science and Technology program at Marshall. His scholarship focused on the role of rhetoric in shaping societies and his teaching had a profound impact on the lives of generations of students. He was named the third John Deaver Drinko Distinguished Fellow at Marshall in 1996 and received the Sid Bell Memorial Award granted by the West Virginia American Civil Liberties Union in 2010. Bill was also proud of his decades long service on the WV-ACLU Board of Directors, after twice serving as President.
He spent his entire academic career at Marshall University, finally retiring in 2003. He spent the next years reading books, listening to opera, taking naps and enjoying traveling with his wife, mostly visiting their daughter in Washington, DC.
Per his wishes, no services will be held, and a celebration of life will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who wish to honor his memory can make a donation to the following funds: Marshall University’s Society of Yeager Scholars or the Marshall University Thundering Word Speech and Debate Team via Marshall University Foundation at 519 John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25703; the ACLU of West Virginia PO Box 3952 Charleston, WV 25339, or the National Legal Aid & Defender Association 1901 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20006.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Hospice of Huntington and The Village at Riverview for their compassionate care of Bill and support for his family during the past year. Rollins Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be expressed at www.rollinsfh.com.