William "Carey" Darr Obituary

Shared this with Dad a couple of times before he left us. Will share at his graveside service tomorrow.
Grief Becomes Gratitude
For Dad

When we recall our childhood games,
Blind Man’s Bluff, Badminton, Ping Pong, Pool,
Basketball, H-O-R-S-E, Roll-A-Bat, Red Rover, Horseshoes,
We will remember you as the one
Who taught us how to play,
And our Grief will become Gratitude.

When we share our gifts and storied journeys with others,
From tithes to recorded music, musicals, poetry and verse,
Picnics packed for a drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway after church,
The lazy river at the Myrtle Beach campground,
We’ll recall how we learned to appreciate the ocean, simple handmade treats, mother nature
And the abundance of family celebrations and experiences in our lives,
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we bless our tables of scrumptious southern foods,
Meatloaf and mashed with gravy, butter beans and corn,
Pear salads and fried chicken, biscuits and gravy,
We will remember the thousands of blessings, and
Those irreverent giggles at the King’s English and the “Thee’s and Thou’s”,
Each prayer wrapped “In Jesus name I pray” with the collective “AMEN,”
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we laugh a belly laugh as stories are shared around those tables,
The old man on the fishing pier who sneezed his teeth over the railing into the sea,
The Clorox fumes from diaper pails that made you think Welcome had been bombed as
You drove us to safety in the country, making sure we avoided the Cuban Missiles,
We’ll smile broadly, knowing that your sniffer often kept us young’ens out of harm’s way,
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we gaze at the evening stars, we will remember watching Apollo 11 soar into space,
Feeling the earth tremble beneath our feet as we witnessed the launch from the beach,
Always fascinated by the engineer’s view of what NASA made possible,
We’ll be grateful that you ignited in us a passion for star gazing.
We’ll forever hear Neil Armstrong say, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we win the go-cart race or open up the Sea Doo to 70mph on the lake,
We will remember the thrills we shared and the needed skill to drive wide open,
How your strong hand tugged a ski vest when we were face down in the water after trying a new trick,
Your words reminding us the value of a good spare, a handy toolkit and flashlight for those times you weren’t there to pull us to safety,
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we look through the scores of family photos and see your arm around us all,
We will remember the love we were born into,
Sunday visits with Rook games and apple sauce pies, a croquet game for good measure,
We will remember the high school floats constructed in our basement,
And your smiling face in the stands as we twirled, cheered, tackled, or served,
And our grief will become gratitude.

When we sit in worship, we are reminded of the choir robes you purchased with a tax return,
Recall your voice sounding deeper when you sang,
Feel your arm around us as we knelt in prayer,
Knowing you did your best to keep us all whole and Holy.
We will reverently bow to the cross,
Yet smile as we recall little brothers who popped up in their air-filled gowns after baptisms,
Shaking their heads like puppies to the delight and laughter of a congregation.
We’ll remember to see the lighter side of it all as you and Mom did,
And our grief will become lighter in gratitude.


When we imagine you walking into the open arms of your loving and very large family,
Realizing they await you now, be confident Jesus will take your hand, whispering “well done.”
You will find Mom’s face and kiss her cheek strolling arm in arm into the Hallelujah, where you are whole and at peace.
We will eat Kentucky Fried Chicken and banana pudding in the front yard, knowing you are still with us in spirit as we taste the life you created, forever in our hearts and only a prayer away.
We will sense you in the blue birds that make their home in your yard, knowing that life is fragile and brief, yet “we” go on as they do, leaving the nest, migrating into new worlds, only to find our way back home in each new season.
We know in our souls that we will see you again as that is the eternal promise we claim,
And our Grief becomes Gratitude!

“Amen”

With Much Love, Darelyn Darr Mitsch February 27th, 2022

I am really sorry for you loss. I know how close you were to your father and what an influence he had on your life and the community. May the wonderful memories you hold of your father sustain and comfort you as you grieve his passing.

Grief can be so hard, but our special memories help us cope. Remembering you and your loved one today and always. He was a wonderful person, I was very blessed to have him and Peggy in my life. God comfort and be with all of you. Angie and Gary Simerson

I am so sorry for your loss. Carey was one of the finest Christian men I have ever met. He and his wife Peggy and their Family I used to spend time with and have great memories of those times. I will never forget the story his Daughter, Darelyn shared with us about "Welcome has been bombed". Enjoy being in Heaven with your lovely wife Peggy. God Bless you all.

To the Children,
My heart is broken because your dad was a true man of God and his witness was real. He was so faithful to bring your mom to my salon to get her hair fixed. He would mainly stay outside in the car and study his Sunday School lesson and would sometimes come in and chat. Their marriage vows were taken very seriously and it was a testament to how much they loved each other. Even though I know they are in Eternal rest and nestled in the arms of Jesus, there is a void all of you must feel. My sympathy is extended to all of you. May God comfort you and give you peace
Linda Miller
Tyro

Carey will have many crowns to lay before the Lord! He showed our church family by example a life of serving Jesus. I am so grateful to have had opportunity to know him. Looking forward to seeing him in our Heavenly home!

Carey was such a sweet person at the pharmacy and church. May God comfort each and everyone during this difficult time and the days ahead.

Grief can be so hard, but our special memories help us cope. Remembering you and your loved one today and always.

My dear Uncle Carey, As you know, both you and Aunt Peggy were always a very important part of my life! Being t first grandchild in t Sowers family, I spent a lot of time with grandparents and Aunt Peggy before you two were married, so you’ve been in my life for a long time!
I have a lot of great memories which I will always cherish.
You were a special Uncle to me and always made Bobby feel so welcome when we would visit!
Now, you are with Aunt Peggy and I’m sure you are smiling again!
Thank you for being a part of our lives!
You’ll always remain in our hearts.
Love, Karen and Bobby

Terry and family,
So sorry for your loss, prayers of comfort and peace at this time

Nikki . Thinking of you and your family during this difficult time.Your dads at peace and no more suffering.

He sounds like a wonderful man who will be greatly missed. Our prayers for the family

What a wonderful couple Carey and Peggy were! The best neighbors anyone could ask for. Andi

What a beautiful life Carey and Peggy lived and what a blessing to know them. Sending prayers of comfort to the family.

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.