David Aubry Darnell, age 80, passed away on October 17, 2024, at Legacy Village Memory Care in Hendersonville, TN.
David was born on July 28, 1944, in Washington, D. C. to his parents, Mary Katherine Crockett Darnell Griffin and Wilmer Aubry Darnell.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Jerry Lynn Darnell, and a sister, Linda Kay Darnell.
David is survived by his wife of ten years, Betty Jo Brooking Darnell; and his children, David Michael Darnell (Cindy) of Bon Aqua, TN, Shawn Timothy Darnell (Chrissy) of St. Charles, MO, Lori Suzanne King (Tod) of Westmoreland, TN, and Elizabeth Smith (Jonathan) of Red Boiling Springs, TN. He is also survived by grandchildren Adam Darnell (Mackenna), Emily Darnell, Sarah Darnell, Matthew Stewart (Taylor) and Nicholas Stewart. His surviving great-grandchildren are Cooper, Colton, Jeremiah and Ellie Darnell. David is also remembered for the love, companionship and devotion he shared with Betty Jo by her children, James Irion and Lucinda Peterson (Pete); and grandchildren, Krista Moore (Stacey), and Irion, Brooking, Isabella, and Levi Peterson.
After high school graduation in 1962, David soon married his high school sweetheart, Pamela Dunn. He met her in typing class after getting moved beside her for his talking too much, as throughout his life he never met a stranger and always enjoyed lively conversation. David worked at drive-in restaurants and super markets and Pam worked various jobs, too, as their three children came along.
During the Vietnam era, David had the opportunity to apprentice in a tool and die business in Martin that manufactured defense products. He was soon hired by the University of Tennessee at Martin to teach welding and foundry and began taking night courses to earn his college degree.
In 1974, Pam died suddenly, leaving David with three young children. He eventually remarried, and with the help of his children, who were quick to learn their father’s mechanical and building skills, built the family a home. Still taking night classes, he earned his mechanical engineering degree in 1983. The family then moved to St. Charles, MO, where his fourth child was born. Here, David worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, which led to an opportunity for David and family to reside in England for two years while he worked in collaboration with French, English and American designers to craft the Airbus.
Aerostructures Industries was part of this collaboration, and upon returning from England David was offered employment with them as chief aircraft design engineer in Nashville, TN. While working in Nashville, David chose to make his home in Bowling Green, KY, where he designed his own home and specialty barn and raised Arabian show horses for competition and pleasure riding. He earned the nickname “Cowboy” from many who associated with him during his horse producing days.
David retired from Aerostructures in 1999 at age 55. In 2013, after having been divorced for ten years, and caring, in his home, for his mother who had dementia during her final four years, he and Betty Jo were married. It was a happy, late-in-life marriage for both of them at their country home on Fleet Road in Adolphus, KY.
David was a man of numerous talents and passions. He was an artist who created paintings, carvings, drawings, and metal works. He was a prolific writer and sketcher, as well as an avid collector of model cars, antiques and oddities, which he loved sharing with others. He studied history and genealogy and took great pride and interest in his sixth great uncle, Davy Crockett.
He loved and had his fair share of cars, motorcycles and boats. A lover of music, he wrote songs and played bass guitar in a band while in high school, and later in life enjoyed singing and making music with Betty Jo on the porch swing while watching and competing with the backyard birds. While he loved to sing and dance, he never cared for alcohol, and served as deacon of Southside Baptist Church when he lived in Martin. David loved life!
Visitation will be Saturday, October 26th at 2:00 p.m. at Sellars Family Heritage in Gallatin, TN, and the funeral will follow at 3:00 p.m. Burial will be the following day at Eastside Cemetery in Martin, TN.
Sellars Family Heritage at Gallatin, 100 E. Albert Gallatin Avenue, Gallatin, TN 37066. 615-452-7115. Obituary line 615-452-5900. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: familyheritagefh.com.
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