I was so sorry to hear about Darrell's passing. I am in the drive system engineering department at Bell, and I worked with Darrell for over 40 years. I always trusted Darrell's advice in finding ways to do things better. I looked forward to just stopping by gear inspection and discussing things in general, work related or not. I considered Darrell a friend as much as a trusted colleague. He will be dearly missed.

With my deepest sympathy to Darrell's family,

Ron Woods
Bell Technical Fellow, Drive System Engineering

I frequently worked with Darrell at Bell to develop inspection protocols for our various gears.  He was always receptive to new ideas and eager to improve our processes.   I learned much from him about gear inspection, and I genuinely enjoyed when I could work with him.   I will surely miss Darrell.

As a younger guy coming into the department I really was not sure what to expect. I meet Mr. Darrell Lee Mitchell for the first time anytime I had questions an quite did not understand something although he made me work for the answer and never just flat out gave me the answer. I did really appreciate the time he took to explain and go into depth to ensure I fully understood. My condolences to his family and  loved ones. He was an intelligent man and will be missed.

My Condolences Darrell's Family,
I've worked with him for 25 years. Learned quite a bit from him in those years. Seeing him every day would always spark some good conversations that he would share some of his life experiences from time to time. That's one thing about Darrell, loved to swap stories!
When he retired. I was happy to see him take the next step in life!
Darrell Mitchell was a good man. I know he will be missed!!

Perry Gilbert

My heart and prayers go out to the Mitchell Family during this difficult time. I worked with Darrell for 20 years at Bell Helicopter in Gear Inspection. Without him I wouldn't  be the Inspector I am today, his knowledge and skills were always their when I needed advice. Knowing this is how I know he was the foundation to his family and they will always have strong memories of him to fall back on. 

God Speed Darrell!  
Luke 6:21

My deepest condolences to the Mitchell family.

Darrell was a good athlete.  I remember playing baseball with him in Senior League.  He could smack that ball!  And a good football player as well.
Prayers for Dawn and the family

David Hall

Please accept our sincere condolences. I had the privilege of working side by side with Darrell at Bell for 34 years. May God be with you and all the family during the coming months.  AJ & Terri Tackett

Darrell Mitchell was "one of those guys". One that left a lasting impression on me for many years. I had the pleasure of working with Darrell at Bell Helicopter for 16yrs before he retired. He taught me many, many things about gears and splines. He was a wealth of knowledge. He helped me as a 20yr old, inexperienced gear maker, all the way up through the time he retired. I'll always remember the pride Darrell had for making the best parts. He held us to a high standard out here at Bell. If there ever was a problem, Darrell was more than willing to help iron out any issues. He was one you could always count on. When he wasn't talking about work, he was talking about his family, which he loved dearly. But he  also took the time to check in on my family and listen to my stories. He was a stand up guy. Darrell will be missed by many. It was a pleasure knowing and working with him. Sending prayers and Condolences to his family.

Darrell and I worked together at Bell for more than 30 years before he retired.  He was also my first supervisor and a great mentor, especially when it came to gears.  Darrell became quite the subject matter expert when it came to gears but also all aspects of helicopter transmissions.  He was always a gentleman and had a way of correcting our errors with a smile and a chuckle.  He was able to share his expertise in layman's terms and went out of his way to never be condescending.  We have many happy memories of our time with Darrell and will dwell on those.  Our condolences and prayers are with Darrell's family and friends during this difficult time.

I worked with Darrell for 24 years at Bell.  I have a lot of memories with him over the years.  Darrell wasn't just a worker at Bell, he was my friend. I enjoyed listening to his stories of his Dad's service on the USS Perkins that encouraged me to learn more which led me to purchase his book Boys to Men. There were many stories of Dawn and himself helping Will at the Ag Barn at Arlington Heights HS, he shared a story of how Houdini the goat and his love for peppermint candy.  He always talked highly of his large family and the love he shared with them especially his grandchildren.
His experience and knowledge in the helicopter gear world benefited me and the company.  Darrell could quiet a stressful situation and smooth all assets of the job.  
I will miss my friend and our phone calls.

Darrell Mitchell was a true pioneer in the aviation in the industry, who left an incredible foot print at Bell Helicopter.  He was an iconic mentor to me and many others. His legacy will not be forgotten.
Robert Stevens

OBITUARY

Darrell Lee Mitchell

10 January, 1956 – 21 February, 2024

Moore Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens

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