Earl Sherwood Wylder

Earl was born 7-7-31 in Kansas City, Missouri. His father, L. Newton Wylder, a Harvard Law School graduate, was an attorney whose firm represented the state of Missouri. His mother, Ethel Mars Wylder, was a homemaker. Her parents, Walter and Jennie McNulty Mars, ran the Blossom Hotel near the Union Station.

Earl’s father died when he was one year old and, eventually, the family moved to Chicago where his mother worked for over 20 years at the Merchandise Mart. From their home at the Edgewater Beach Apartments, he could look out over Lake Michigan. Earl loved the city, knew all the streets and followed the baseball teams from the bleachers. At Todd School for Boys, he learned to play basketball, while at Cheley Camp, he climbed Longs Peak and at Amundsen High School he found many Greek and Swedish friends.

After a year at the University of Iowa, he received a basketball scholarship at DePaul from his beloved coach Ray Meyer. Drafted into the army in 1953, he kept the “secret of the Sandías” at the base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Returning to Chicago, he entered DePaul Law School. Spending hours at the Northwestern library with fellow student, Al Partoll, he graduated in 1958. He worked for a large firm in Chicago, clerked for a federal judge in Reno, Nevada, then came to Denver. With the help of the Kennedy family, he started work with Walter Gerash and then joined the Public Defender’s Office - great lawyers and lifelong friends.

Leaving the office, he worked with multiple firms, generating connections that lasted over the years. His 1981 Schultheis case set a confidentiality principle. In inactive status, he continued to do research and help other attorneys with cases.

While doing legal work, he was always finding opportunities to help others. His friendship with Rudy Carey at East High School and other coaches and players, let him enter the lives of numerous young teens. Two lived with us for a few years, others he supported with clothes, equipment and financial aid. He visited campuses from Michigan to Idaho, Big Spring to Great Bend. Since he was afraid to fly, the interstate became very familiar. He was important in their transitions from boys and girls to men and women.

Even in his eighties and nineties, he developed friendships with dozens of people. Phil “Swish” Judson of the famous Illinois State Championship Team of 1952, the staff at the Supreme Court Library and at Thomas Reuters, and of course, at DePaul. He still amazed his friends with his knowledge of sports history, players and teams.

He wanted to be remembered as a good lawyer. He will - but even better, he will be remembered for the link of true friendship that he extended to all.

He is preceded in death by his brothers Lawrence and Jack and his beloved sister, Jane, who kept a watchful eye on her “baby brother.”

He is survived by his wife, Madeline; his children Wes, Adelphe, Forrest, Michele, Noel (Farid), Greer (Paul) and Linda (Kevin); his grandchildren, James, Sin Jin, Isabella, Taylor, Tristan, Matthew, Oliver, Olivia, Samuel and Jack Henry, his great grandchildren, June, Desmond, Montgomery and Magnolia and his nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to the Montgomery family for sharing their son and brother, Sadat, with us and many thanks to Linda and her family for finding us.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Red Cross, Denver Rescue Mission or the Food Bank of the Rockies.