Hugh Vernon Darveau

Hugh Vernon Darveau was born in Rulo, NE on April 27, 1924, the 7th of 9 children (one died in infancy) born to Grover and Esther (Boehme) Darveau. He passed away peacefully in Wheat Ridge, CO of natural causes on February 10, 2022, two months shy of his 98th birthday. He grew up by the Missouri River in Rulo. His father died when he was 12 years old leaving his mother with 8 children to raise during the Depression. Like most Depression children, he learned the value of hard work early in life. After graduating from high school, he moved to Buffalo, NY, where he was drafted into the Army Air Corp on April 7, 1943. He was stationed in many locations throughout the United States and was honorably discharged on February 12, 1946.

On July 6, 1945, he married Eleanore Keller in Denver, CO. They met in 1944 while he was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base. They lived in several places during the first 6 months of their marriage while he was still in the service. After his military discharge, they lived in Beatrice, NE, before moving to Denver, CO. They had three children, LaNae (Nick) Hardy, Vickie Darveau, and Geoffrey Darveau. They were married 68 years before her death in 2013.

Hugh went to watchmaking school and worked for a time as a watchmaker. After moving to Denver, he worked as a grocery man, becoming a Grocery Manager before his retirement from King Soopers in 1992. After retiring, he worked at several parttime jobs. In his free time, he enjoyed golfing, traveling, reading, doing crossword and cryptogram puzzles, walking, and going to garage sales.

Hugh was a very kind, patient, and genuine man. He was an excellent father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle. He loved children and was known to be a "baby whisperer" as he was often the only one who could calm fussy babies. He would put them on his lap and coo and they would soon be cooing and smiling back at him or be asleep. He had an infectious grin and boyish charm and loved to tease his grandchildren and nieces and nephews. Many of his nieces and nephews said he was always one of their favorite uncles. He even had doctors, nurses, and home health care workers who said he was their all-time favorite patient!

He was a remarkable man and role model for how best to live one's life, radiating love, joy, and good cheer during the happy times and willingly sharing tears and anguish during the sorrowful ones. Authenticity was his hallmark and we all honor that deeply. He will be missed by all who knew him and carried in our hearts forever.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Eleanore, his daughter Vickie, brothers and sisters-in-law, Francis (Mona), John (Dorothy), Richard (Pauline), sisters and brothers-in-law Margaret Mary (Gerry), Doris (John), and Phyllis (Leon) and several nieces and nephews. He is survived by his sister Roseann (Bob), his daughter LaNae, his son Geoffrey, six grandchildren, Emily, Andrea, Tamara, Alison, Kevin and Veronica, nine great-grandchildren, Lyla, Andres, Jacob, Lenore, Elizabeth, Brian, Eloise, Delaney, and Mackenzie and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a graveside military service at Ft. Logan National Cemetery at 10:30, April 27, 2022 (what would have been his 98th birthday). Please line up at Staging Area B. In lieu of donations, please perform a kind act in his honor.