Joseph A. Denham, Ph.D. was a member of the Class of 1947 of Matamoras High School. He graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1951 with degrees in Secondary Education and Math and General Science. He received a Master's Degree and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Ohio University in 1956 and 1959, respectively.

He was employed as a Professor of Chemistry at Hiram College from 1958 to 1993. His academic credits include being Visiting Professor of Chemistry at the University of Florida, Ohio State University, and Case Western University. He was selected by the Northwest Ohio Colleges Association to attend President Carter's White House Conference on Libraries.