Darrow, Ralph (Jack) (1922-2018)

DARROW, THIEMAN, BROWN, PHILLIPS, MILLER, WENGER

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 2/19/2018 at 23:18:54

Ralph "Jack" Darrow
October 9, 1922 - January 20, 2018

Ralph Erwin “Jack” Darrow, age 95, of Albert City, Iowa, died on Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Pleasant View Home in Albert City.

Jack Darrow, Jr., was born on October 9, 1922, in Edgemont, South Dakota. Soon thereafter, his family moved to Crawford, Nebraska, and then to Ravenna, Nebraska, where Jack started school. Later, the family moved to Colby, Kansas, and then back to Ravenna where he graduated from high school in 1940. Next, the family moved to Alta and then to Storm Lake where Jack worked for Consumer Supply.

Jack enlisted in the army reserve in 1942. He was sent to radio repair school for radar training. In 1943, he was called up to active duty and was assigned to the 730th Signal Air Warning Company, 1st Platoon. He was sent to India, then China and after the war ended, back to India. In 1946, he received an honorable discharge.

After attending Buena Vista College for one semester, Jack left Iowa for a job at Lockheed in California where he worked for six months. He, then, came back to Storm Lake to work at Clough Auto Parts for the next ten years. While in the hospital for hernia surgery, he met the love of his life, nurse Dorothy Ann Thieman. They married on October 24, 1952, and were, subsequently, blessed with two boys, Scott Erwin and Kirk Warren. In 1956, they moved to the Thieman family farm in rural Albert City.

Jack farmed and worked for the post office for twenty years, including as the postmaster in Marathon for twelve years. After retiring, Jack and Dorothy moved to their lake home on Star Lake in Minnesota for seven years. Wishing to live closer to their grandchildren, Morgan and Spencer Darrow, however, they moved back to Albert City. They spent much of their free time going to their activities. They, especially, enjoyed watching Morgan pitch softball and Spencer demonstrating his musical talent.

A long-time member of St John’s Lutheran Church, rural Albert City, Jack held many offices. In addition, he joined the American Legion and the Elks Lodge. Moreover, he served as a school board member for the Albert City-Truesdale School District.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Zelda (Brown) Darrow, his sisters, Delores Darrow Phillips and Betty Darrow Miller, his sister-in-law, Mary Lou Thieman Wenger, his brother-in-law, William Thieman, and Dorothy, his beloved wife of fifty-three years.

He is survived by his sons, Scott (Lori) and Kirk Darrow; his grandchildren, Morgan (Phillip) Miller and Spencer Darrow; and his brothers-in-law, William (Bud) Phillips, Marvin Miller, and Paul Wenger; as well as by many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Albert City. Burial will follow at a later date in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, rural Albert City. Visitation will take place for one hour before the service at the church. The Sliefert Funeral Home of Albert City is in charge of arrangements.

Sliefert Funeral Homes, Albert City, 2018.

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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