Darrel D. Randolph

Darrel Dean Randolph, 90, of Carbon Cliff, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2024, at his daughter and son-in-law’s home, Silvis, IL. Visitation will be 4 to 7, Thursday, February 29, 2024 and the funeral will be 10:30 am, Friday, March 1, 2024 at Schroder Mortuary, Silvis. Burial will be at Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline. Memorials may be made to VVA Chapter #299 (Vietnam Veterans of America).

Darrel was born June 25, 1933 in Columbus Junction, Iowa at his grandma and grandpa Woodruff’s home, the son of Raymond and Evelyn (Woodruff) Randolph. He graduated from United Township High School in 1951 where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. He competed in the Running High Jump at the 1949 State Track and Field Championship as a sophomore.  After high school he was employed by John Deere Harvester Works where he worked as a Tool Designer, a Shop Supervisor, a Process Planner, a Methods Engineer and Engineering Analyst. He retired in 1984. He started working for the Rock Island Arsenal in 1985 as an Industrial Engineering Technician, retiring in 1996 as a Lead Industrial Engineering Technician. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He enjoyed keeping in contact with his Fort Campbell brothers. He met the love of his life and wife of 68 years, Janice Hollister (he called her My Pretty Lady), while working at John Deere. They married on September 28, 1953, in Port Byron, while he was on leave from Fort Campbell. Darrel was heartbroken when Janice passed away May 29, 2022. They had three children, Cathy, Gary, and Susan. Sadly, Cathy passed away February 8, 2019.

Darrel had many, many hobbies throughout his life which he threw himself into wholeheartedly. Some of these interests included fishing, square dancing, genealogy, photography, bird watching, and gardening. He also loved music and never missed a Silvis Country Music Festival and attended most of the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz festivals.  He was happy he was able to go the last two years, after missing a couple years. He enjoyed the many winters he and Janice spent in Florida where they would explore parks and nature preserves to photograph birds and wildlife. He loved to get together with friends and family. Darrel always looked forward to getting together twice a month for breakfast with his classmates from the class of 1951 and would often call and remind everyone where they were meeting.

Darrel was a kind, patient, generous, compassionate, deep-thinker, and wise man. He was always willing to help a neighbor, share produce from his garden, share his wealth of knowledge, and give sage advice. He was a dedicated loving husband, father, and grandfather. Darrel set a gold standard for what a man should be and will be greatly missed.

Family members left to cherish Darrel’s memory include son-in-law Rolando Gamino, East Moline; son, Gary Randolph, Silvis; daughter and son-in-law Susan Randolph and Al Terronez, Silvis; grandchildren, John Gamino, California; Dr. Aaron Gamino, Tennessee; Dustan Smith, Silvis; Andrew (Sammi) DeWulf, Moline; Tyler Randolph, Silvis; Eric (Becky) Terronez, Florida; Brandon (Monica) Terronez, Florida; great grandchildren, Scarlett DeWulf, Cole Terronez, Paige Terronez, Reagan Terronez, Logan Terronez, Ronin Terronez, and Riley Terronez. Sister-in-law’s Dianne (Pokorny)Randolph, Kathy Kish, Nelda Langhofer, Shirley Hollister, and Marjorie French; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Darrel was preceded in death by his parents, wife Janice, daughter Cathy Gamino, Daughter-in-law Lisa (Dewulf) Randolph, Brother; Richard, Sister, Helen Miller, Parent-in- laws Marguerite and Harold Hollister, brother-in-laws; Terry Miller, Truman Langhofer, Jon “Jack” Hollister, Harold French, and many other relatives and friends.