Darrell was born October 7, 1945 in Riverside, California. The second oldest of nine children in a military family, he graduated from Tustin High School in 1965. Darrell enlisted in the Navy in February, 1966 and served onboard the destroyer, USS Frank Knox as a quartermaster. In the summer of 1967 he was assigned to the Navy’s Military Sea Transportation Service in Saigon for eighteen months. He was honorably discharged in September 1969. While preparing to enter a nursing program, he attended a night class where he met his future wife, Barbara who was also interested in pursuing nursing. They married on February 22,1975 in Las Vegas Nevada and later that year, Darrell graduated from the registered nursing program at USC-LA County Medical Center. He was employed by St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton, California as an emergency room nurse.
Darrell and Barbara resided in Anaheim, California until the birth of their first son in 1977. Eager to move to a smaller town, a close friend mentioned Redding. After a weekend trip to visit the area, Darrell had secured a job at Mercy Medical Center as an ICU nurse. They moved with their one year old son to the small town of Central Valley just ten miles north of Redding. Darrell quickly joined the volunteer fire department and loved the excitement of the job. With his passion in emergency medicine in the field, he was given the opportunity to work on the Life Support Unit and Air Ambulance at Mercy as well as teaching EMT classes throughout Shasta and Trinity Counties later in his career. After a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in early 1999, he continued his work at Mercy until his retirement in April, 2002.
Always showing great pride in all his duties over the years, he had gone above and beyond the call of duty to help others. He was a teacher, role model and mentor for all. He could never say “no” when someone needed help. We all will miss your heartwarming smile! Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, Doyle and Thelma; siblings Larry, Brandon and Rick all of Ft. Smith Arkansas. He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara, and sons Eric, Brian, Shawn and Jeff and precious grandchildren Taylor, Isaiah, Camryn and Ava all of Redding, California. Also, sisters Diane Parker (Ray) of Ft. Smith, Arkansas and Suzanne Cole of Ypsilanti, Michigan; brothers Randy and Philip Cole of Ft. Smith, Arkansas and brother Rohn Cole of Napa, California as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A service is planned for Wednesday February 6, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Lawncrest Chapel in Redding. A private burial will follow on Thursday February 7 at the Veterans Cemetery in Igo, California.
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