Remembering Forrest Darr

There are several people from the Coshocton community who I have recognized as some of the greatest people in the world.  There were my Uncle Clarence Mainwaring, and his wife, Eileen Mainwaring, along with their children who are my cousins, Viva, Steve and Lynn.

There is also my Uncle Forrest Darr, and his wife, Audrey Darr and their children who are my cousins, Diane, Greg and Mike.

There was also my Uncle Harold Turner, who has a bridge in Coshocton named after him years after his life was taken during World War II. Of course, his sisters who are Eileen, Audrey and my mother, Esther, were born in your city and had the maiden name of Turner.

My grandmother, Viva Seeley and my grandfather, Herbert Seeley, married after my biological grandfather, Earl Turner, left the area after he and Viva divorced.

Unfortunately, I have only been in the Coshocton area only a few separated times, because I was born and raised and have spent most of my adult life in Texas. That is the state where my mother lived after she married my father who was from Kaufman, Texas,  near Dallas. Therefore, because of the distance, I haven’t seen my uncles or aunts or cousins, or their families that much over the years. But when I did, and came to Coshocton  to visit them with my parents, and later after my parents were deceased, it was a wonderful vacation to not only visit my relatives, but also view the beautiful city that most of you live in today, Coshocton. The downtown area, the parks, the canals and everything else are just fantastic.

It was on April 24, 2019 that one of the greatest men, and certainly the greatest people in my life passed away from natural causes in his 90s in the emergency room of Coshocton Regional Medical Center. My Uncle Forrest Darr,  was born on July 25, 1923 to Joseph and Ethel Mullet Darr. Forrest was resident of Altercare of Coshocton after living many years at Riverside Towers.

He married Audrey on December 13, 1947. She passed away in 2005. They not only had the three children mentioned above, but also four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Along with his parents and his wife, Audrey, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Adrian, Clarence and Dennis Darr, along with one sister and brother-in-law, Leota (Lew) Ostler and special friend Martie Carpenter. Forest graduated from Roscoe High School in 1940, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and was a very proud veteran. Following his time in the service, he delivered milk for Meadow Gold Diary for many years, and then joined Audrey in owning and operating Darr Designed Interiors. After his retirement, he operated his own lawn service.

Forrest Darr was associated with several churches over the years, including Grace United Methodist Church, Branch United Methodist Church, Calvary Baptist Church and then Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.

Forrest Darr’s services were held on May 1, 2019 at Given-Dawson Paisley Funeral Home with Pastor Dan Swanson officiating. Burial was at Roscoe Cemetery where military honors were conducted by the Coshocton County Veterans.

I’m not celebrating his death almost exactly a year ago. I am celebrating his life and the many things he offered his family and his community. His passion in life was visiting friends and family, and he spent many hours visiting patients in nursing homes and always dropped in to check on or take care of friends in the community. It was his true ministry.

He was one of the greatest people I ever knew, and always will be. He should be one of the greatest you ever knew. He will always be remembered with a great smile.

Submitted by Jeff Riggs of Athens, Texas.

Category: People & Places