Darrell Lee Gardner was born June 2, 1960, in Colorado Springs, CO. He went to be with the Lord on May 14, 2014.
Darrell and his parents, Duane and Donna Gardner, along with his brother and sister, lived in several Colorado towns until they moved to Montrose in 1972. He graduated from Montrose High School in 1978 and attended Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, ID; he graduated with degrees in business and accounting in 1982.
On September 3, 1982, he married his high school sweetheart, Diane Marsh. They had three children: Christa, Caitlin, and Chandler. The family lived in Montrose CO., where Darrell worked as a banker at Wells Fargo until 2002, when they moved to Bayfield, CO. Darrell worked for First National Bank of Durango until his death.
Darrell’s family and friends knew him as a man of great integrity and kindness, with easy laughter and a teasing twinkle in his eye. He was soft-spoken and slow to anger, though he often shocked people with sudden bursts of enthusiasm during Broncos games. He was always active and was an accomplished bowler, golfer, and softball player.
To his family, he was not only a husband and father. He was a solid rock to rely on, a best friend, mentor, coach, supporter, and excellent example of how to love unconditionally. He loved God and people, and it showed in the way he lived his life. He had gifts of creativity that materialized in his talent for photography, and a love of travel that he shared with the whole family, leading to annual trips around the world.
Survivors include: his wife Diane, children, Christa (McMahon), son-in-law Sean McMahon, Caitlin and Chandler, parents, Duane and Donna of Montrose, brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Lori, sister and brother-in-law Cindy and Gene, grandmother, Helen Witcher.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Faith Community Church of the Nazarene, 1400 HWY 172, Durango, CO.
Arrangements are being handled by Hood Mortuary. Online condolences to the family may be posted at hoodmortuary.com.