Darrell Adair

Throughout his rich and rewarding life, Darrell Adair was a hardworking man of honor, courage, and strength who was an inspiration to those around him. He was a man of faith, and it was his faith that was the compass he used to direct his steps. Darrell was deeply devoted to his family, and it was his devotion to his wife and children that were the driving force behind all his hard work. Known for his fun-loving personality, he enjoyed teasing others, all in the name of fun. Deeply loved, Darrell will be forever missed.

The year 1929 is often remembered as the year that the sudden crash of the stock market sent our nation and much of the world spiraling down into the depths of the Great Depression. Throughout the decade that followed, we faced great hardship with a soaring unemployment rate and a drought that added more strain to an already crippled agricultural industry. It was just prior to that historic crash that Marlow and Hazel (Braby) Adair were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named Darrell on March 5, 1929. The fourth of 10 children, he was born and raised in Woodland, Iowa, along with his siblings, Max, Mary, Madyln, Betty, Ernest, Janet, Carmen, Kay, and John.

In many ways Darrell was a young boy of his generation. He loved his grandparents and often went over to their place. For this reason, Darrell eventually moved in with them on their farm in Woodland. It has been said that he was a mischievous boy who liked to have a good time on the farm or at school. Sadly, Darrell’s grandparents were killed by a buck sheep so he went to live with an aunt and uncle in Montana. He left school before graduating to join the Army.

A man of honor, Darrell spent six years and 10 days serving with the final 10 days being compliments of President Truman. He never had a hard job in the service as he ran the NCO club. It has been said that Darrell perfected his card playing skills there, or as his family would say, it was where he learned to cheat at cards. While in the service he was stationed at a few places including Ft. Lewis, Camp Pickett, in Japan for two years, and at Percy Jones Hospital in Battle Creek.

Not to be forgotten during his years in the service was Darrell’s introduction to the woman of his dreams. Her name was Margaret Cagney, and they met at a dance in November of 1949 while he was still serving in Battle Creek. Darrell was smitten from that very first night, so he asked her to marry him. Although Margaret didn’t say yes, she also wasn’t scared off. They enjoyed spending time together over the days, weeks, and months that followed, and in time they fell deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together Darrell and Margaret were married on August 26, 1950, at Margaret’s church, St. Joseph Catholic Church, in Kalamazoo. While still stationed at Camp Pickett the couple welcomed their first child, Linda, into their hearts and home. Later, the family grew to include Diane, Steve, and Sherri.

After being discharged, Darrell and his family returned to Kalamazoo where he found a job with a linen company called Cadillac Overall. With a desire to provide a good life for his family, he regularly put in long hours. After 32 years of dedicated service, Darrell was called into the office and told that he could retire if he wanted. Without hesitation, he was more than happy to accept and quickly and quietly left the building, never looking back.

Throughout his life Darrell maintained an active lifestyle. He was an active member of his church as he served as an usher for 60 years at St. Martin of Tours in Vicksburg, Catherine of Sienna in Portage, and St. Joseph and St. Monica Catholic churches in Kalamazoo. Although he was primarily a homebody, Darrell did enjoy taking trips to Iowa to visit family. For years, he and his wife lived at Klines Resort in Three Rivers where he enjoyed helping at the annual Fourth of July fireworks. Although no one got hurt, there were a few close calls! As a baseball lover, Darrell liked cheering on both the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals. His all-time favorite player was Stan “The Man” Musial, and in addition to watching baseball games on television he liked watching The Price is Right. An avid card player, Darrell was notorious for bending the rules. Even though he wasn't supposed to have sweets, he had quite the sweet tooth and snuck candy when he could. Darrell also liked ice cream, both chocolate and butter pecan, and he also liked cappuccino coffee. Later in life he was thrilled to become a grandfather, and he was very close to his two grandchildren, Tammy and Brian. One of his greatest joys was seeing them each get married.

All who knew Darrell Adair would agree that he made life so much fun. He was known for being a wise cracker among his friends as he loved nothing more than a good laugh. Darrell had a witty and fun sense of humor, and his family really did enjoy when he would tease them in a loving way. A hard worker, he took great pride in everything he did, and he earned everything he had in life. Darrell leaves behind a timeless collection of memories that his loved ones will forever cherish.

Darrell Adair, of Portage, died on Saturday March 31, 2018, at Medilodge in Portage. Darrell’s family includes his wife, Margaret; 4 children: Linda (Paul) Matyas, Diane Adair Williams, Stephen Adair, and Sherri Adair; 2 grandchildren: Brian (Melanie) Matyas, Tammy (Craig) Longenecker; and brothers and sisters: Max (Beulah) Adair, Betty (Robert) Beatty, Janet (Leon) Handrick, Ernest Adair, Carmen (Don) Proctor, Kay (Jerry) Amalong and John (Vicki) Adair. Darrell was preceded in death by his sisters, Madyln Spidle and Mary Keller. The family will greet friends on Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo and there will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1150 West Centre, Portage. Please visit Darrell’s personal web page at www.betzlerfuneralhome.com where you can archive a favorite memory or photo and sign his guestbook online before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of your choice.