Darrel was born on January 28, 1931 in Richmond, Indiana to Lester and Violet Oler. He served the country as a member of the US Army and was honorably discharged in September of 1953. He was married to Mary Ann Oler on December 14, 1957. They raised two daughters, Julia and Karen. Darrel was an air traffic controller for the FAA in Fort Worth, Texas and lived in Euless for more than 50 years. He moved to Nacogdoches, TX in 2014.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Violet, his wife, Mary Ann, and his brother, Owen. He is survived by his daughters, Julia and Karen, and his four grandsons, Chad, Cody, Jared, and Michael.
Darrel was passionate about aviation. He was a pilot, and after his years of flying, he enjoyed tracking and identifying planes and listening to air traffic control on his radio. His other hobbies included camping at the beach, sailing, tracking the weather, and drinking ice cold beer.
Darrel was known for his dedication and love for his family. He was always there for his friends and family and would always go above and beyond to make everyone happy. He especially loved his cat companion and best friend, Benji. He also loved feeding the local country cats in the neighborhood and built them shelter on his front porch. We will remember him for his handiness, his dedication to his family, his infectious smile, and his and his simple and kind heart.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, 2019, 1:00 pm, at the American Legion, Post 516, at 6801 Manhattan Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas, 76120. Should friends desire, the family wishes contributions to be sent to Darrel’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Link: https://www.stjude.org/give/memorials-and-dedications.html
Donations can be addressed to any family member at the email address: [email protected]
Arrangements are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors, Nacogdoches.
