Cecil E. Darnell

January 22, 1936 – October 27, 2018

Cecil/Bud passed peacefully with family at bedside after a brief illness.

He is preceded in death by his parents Cecil M. Darnell and Lillian Hart Darnell. He is survived by his wife, Judy Darnell (Smith) and daughters, Nanette Darnell, Suzette Darnell Holloway and grandson, Tariq Zidan. Cecil has 3 surviving siblings brother, Don Darnell (wife Mary Kay); sisters, Audrey Ritt and Carol Ruppert (husband Donald) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Barryton, Michigan is where Cecil grew up, graduated high school, and returned to frequently because it was always home. He furthered his education by attending first Central Michigan and then completed his degree at Olivet College where he was president of Phi Alpha Pi Fraternity. Cecil and Judy met at Olivet College and married on January 27, 1961.

He was first a teacher at Duck Lake School and then at Milford Junior High. After teaching for 5 yrs, he changed careers a couple of times. He became The Sault St. Marie Chamber of Commerce Director and established the I-500 snowmobile race in The Soo. In 1974, he moved his family back to the Lower Peninsula, where he became Mason Area Chamber of Commerce Director , and inaugurated the Arabian Horse Show at the Ingham Co. Fairgrounds. After leaving The Chamber, Cecil was employed by The Society of Manufacturing Engineers in Dearborn, Michigan where he was an Expositions Manager, putting on machine tool shows all over the world, until he retired. Cecil then came out of retirement to work as a consultant for Engineering Society of Detroit for a short time. What Cecil/Bud is most known for by most (in his own words) is being an author, speaker, writer, storyteller, photographer. He has written articles and had cover photos for publications such as Rural Heritage, Saddle UP, Draft Horse Journal, Age Wise, Michigan Farmer, Above the Bridge, Western Mule Magazine, Country Lines, Old Farm, The Percheron News and even Onion World!

Cecil E Darnell has been a presence in the horse industry, along with barns and the country culture for many years. He was involved with many shows and associations such as Great Lakes International, The Michigan Horse Expo, Boat Pullers Association, etc. He was also the recipient of The Michigan Horse Council’s Inaugural Press Award and The Catalyst Award, and was also admitted to the Michigan Draft Horse Pulling Hall of Fame.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, November 3rd at 11 AM, with visitation 1 hr prior. Followed by a luncheon and then procession to cemetery for a prayer and inurnment.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Cecil E. Darnell to All Saints Lutheran Church 720 W South St. Mason, 48854 or Ingham County Animal Shelter 600 Curtis St. Mason, 48854 and that you continue to tell stories.