David Nelson Denman III

David Nelson Denman III, 94, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, passed away at home on January 13, 2026 to gentle music played for him by two of his sons. Dave was born on March 26, 1931 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and grew up in Latrobe and Mt. Lebanon, near Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School, where he achieved fame as an individual and relay track star. After attending Haverford College, the University of Pittsburgh, and Edinburgh University, Scotland, he spent a year in Mississippi with his wife Jane during the Civil Rights movement under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, teaching at a Black college, Mary Holmes Junior College. He received his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and began a career in education which spanned over 50 years and took him across the country and abroad. He was a teacher, teacher trainer, headmaster, or director of development at The George School, PA; the University of Pittsburgh, PA; The Woodstock Country School, VT; Shady Side Academy, PA, the Friends Council on Education, PA; The Colorado Springs School, CO; The Athenian School, CA; The Putney School, VT; and Lick-Wilmerding High School, CA. He also founded a Tour du Mont Blanc hiking program for teenagers and a student exchange program in Siena, Italy, and finally his own educational consulting business in California and nationwide. Together with Myron Arms, he co-authored the book Touching the World: Adolescents and Action Learning (Scribner, 1975). It was his lifelong commitment and dedication to help young adults identify their true interests and find life-changing educational opportunities that aligned with their passions, and he created opportunities to enable them to pursue their dreams.

Dave is remembered for his exuberant, high-spirited embrace of life, his quick wit, and his wonderful sense of humor. In addition to his vigorous commitment to education, his passions included skiing, hiking, music, reading, traveling, and exploring New Mexico’s Native American cultures. He will also be remembered by the families of the thousands of students whom he taught and whose lives were enriched by his guidance and wisdom.

He is survived by his ex-wife Jane, his brother Dick, and his children: Jenny, Nelson, Joel, and David, and their respective partners Pieter, Petra, Carrie, and Sydney; grandchildren Katja, Benno, Toby, Sander, Melissa, Hallie, Camille, and Juliet, and their partners Mathieu, Hester, Kaðlín, Tamar, Danny, and Jackson; and great-grandchildren Fenna, Ellie, and Janna. He is greatly missed.