Evan Denney, 82, of Glencoe

Evan Denney, 82, of Glencoe, formerly of Missoula, Mont., died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014, at the Birchwood House in Hutchinson.
A memorial service with military honors will be held Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10:30 a.m., at Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel in Glencoe.
Evan Denney was born Jan. 9, 1932, in Tacoma, Wash., to Evangelos Pangis and Margaret Still O’Connor. He attended elementary schools in Sumner, Wash., and Seward Grade School in Seattle, Wash., and Lincoln High School in Seattle.
In 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and attended U.S. Army signal school, and was active duty from 1950 to 1952; he was discharged in August 1953. He received his bachelor of arts, master of arts and doctor of philosophy degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle, majoring in geography with specialities in Latin America and China. He served in the U.S. Merchant Marines from 1953 to 1956. During his merchant marine and university days, he traveled extensively in Latin America (Amazon Basin and Orinoco Region), Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
On March 24, 1961, he married Terri Pike in Seattle, Wash., and they made their home there until fall 1969, when they moved to Missoula, Mont. Their daughter, Krista Kelly, was born in 1966 in Seattle, and their son, Jason Scott, was born in 1970 in Montana.
Mr. Denney began his teaching career in geography at the University of Montana in 1969. In addition to teaching courses in China, he initiated a master of science program in rural, town and regional planning. During his tenure there, he also served as the chairman of the geography department, faculty representative to the NCAA, exchange scholar to Hangzhou University and Shanghai International Studies University, People’s Republic of China; served as chairman of the Missoula Planning Board; president of the Five Valleys River Park Association, and was a director of the University of Montana Federal Credit Union.
Mr. Denney authored and co-authored many publications dealing with land use and resource planning. He retired as professor emeritus from the University of Montana in June 2000. He was an avid supporter of University of Montana Grizzly athletics — an attachment that never left despite the miles between Minnesota and Montana.
In 2011, Mr. Denney and his wife moved to Glencoe to be near family. He attended Living Rock church in Norwood and was an avid supporter of youth sports in the Glencoe area, where he especially enjoyed watching the participation of his grandchildren in baseball, softball, basketball and football.
He is survived by his wife, Terri Denney of Glencoe; children, Krista (Bryan) Petersen and grandchildren, Morgan, Teddy, Elise and Audrey of Young America, and Jason (Sarah) Denney and grandchildren, Randol and Rachel of Anchorage, Alaska; sister, Stella Loveless of California; stepbrother, Bill Brennan of Washington; and nieces and nephews in Washington and California.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Helen Pangis Law.
Arrangements were with the Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel of Glencoe. Online obituaries and guest book are available at www.hantge.com.