Darrell Alden Malone
April 29, 1948 ~ November 20, 2022
Darrell Alden Malone passed away on Sunday, November 20th, 2022, at Valley Manor Care Center in Montrose, Colorado. He was 74 years old.
Services will be held in the spring, 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 29th, 2023, at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Paonia, Colorado.
Darrell was born on April 29th, 1948, to Gladys Lorraine (Jensen) and Alden Buddy Malone in Hillsdale Michigan. Being a military kiddo, the family was on the move and at the age of two he and the family moved to the Grand Junction area where he later graduated from Central High School in 1966.
Darrell joined the United States Army and served our country, two years in Vietnam.
On February 17th, 1998, Darrell married Pamela Joyce Minerich in Cortez, Colorado. They just celebrated 24 years together.
Darrell and Pamela resided here in the Delta County area all but five years that they were in Boise, Idaho caretaking family. They were members of the Baptist Church in Hotchkiss and 1st Christian Church in Paonia. He was a deacon of the church. Darrell was the commander at the American Legion for a time. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, riding horses-cowboying, bringing the cattle down from Ridgeway with friends and watching all the John Wayne Westerns. Darrell was an avid shooter and part of the Sheriff’s Posse in GJ. He had a contagious laugh that would get everyone laughing. Darrell was a guy that cared, he’d give ya the shirt off his own back. He was a protector and a hero. He spent two days straight digging at a mine collapse to get to some miners that were trapped. The miners were featured in Reader’s Digest and they said there was no better feeling than when they were able to grab a hold of Darrell’s hand, they knew they were saved. Darrell was a helicopter crew chief in the Army and was able to save a whole platoon.
Darrell is survived by his daughters: Shea (Brandon) Kuncki of St. George, UT, Shawna (Bill) Hill of Bridgeport, NB, Tina (Ken) Lininger of Olathe, CO, Jamie (Chad) Koncher of Caldwell, ID, and Rhonda (Tim) McCndless of CO; brothers Rex Malone of PalmSprings, CA, Ronnie’s spouse Suzie Malone of GJ, CO, Gary Malone of GJ, CO and Don Malone of GJ, CO; sister Lori Young of Reno, NV; thirteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Darrell is preceded in death by his parents and brother Ronnie.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory.
View the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at:
www.taylorfuneralservice.com