Darrell, born in Eugene, Ore., grew up in Cottage Grove, Ore. As a young man he was a Boy Scout and a DeMolay.
Darrell played football and ran track in high school, and loved fishing and hunting. With his dad and two uncles owning Ford dealerships it didn’t take long for Darrell’s interest in classic cars and trucks to become an obsession. Years later his restored vehicles won many trophies.
Darrell attended the U of O, North Pacific Dental & Medical College in Portland, receiving a Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology in 1963. In 1966, Darrell completed a Practical Management for Independent Firms from Portland State College.
When Darrell’s boyhood friend’s family moved to Pinedale, Wyo., to cut timber, he and Darrell took an adventurous Christmas trip to Pinedale. Soon Pinedale became Darrell’s home where he married and raised his family. He joined his father-in-law at Ziegler’s Hardware, became a partner, then joined the True Value Hardware team as an owner. Darrell expanded the business in many different directions growing it into a very successful business. One of his favorite
quotes was, “I never did anything I couldn’t lose money at.”
Darrell sold his store twice before one took and he finally retired.
After many years his first marriage, unfortunately, ended. In 1991, during one of his visits home to see his mother in Cottage Grove, Darrell was reintroduced to a former classmate, Marquita Floyd Kling. They were married the following year in October of 1992.
Unbeknownst to either Darrell or Marquita their lives had connected years before they were born. Darrell’s cousin, Jesse James Woodson, shot Marquita’s maternal grandfather’s dog. Her grandfather was 15 when his dog started barking at their horses, causing them to jump about, as Jesse’s gang rode by. This is only one of several events that brought the two families together before they even knew each other as students in high school.
Enjoying many of the same activities, traveling in particular was at the top of the list. Each year the two left the U.S. spending one month visiting at least one or more foreign countries. The love of fishing took them to Alaska six times. On their last trip, Darrell was successful in killing a beautiful five-year-old Black Bear, out of Valdez, the largest for his friend and guide in three years.
Darrell passed away at the age of 84 after a lengthy illness. He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Juanita Woodson and his brother-in-law and sister Clay and Cheryl Zumwalt. Darrell is survived by his wife of nearly 33 years,
Marquita Woodson, daughter Laura Gail Kelly, grandsons Ian L. and Tucker B. Kelly, son and daughter-in-law Craig Earl and Lynne Woodson, stepson and wife Cameron S. and Mechie L. Kling and stepdaughter and husband Linda L. and Jeffrey Estrin.
Throughout Darrell’s long illness he continued being strong minded. His English humor was always there keeping it light. And as the months rolled by Darrell was always a gentleman.
