David Edward, (Dave) Darrah, 88, was born in Marietta, Ohio, on December 10, 1936, to
his parents, George William and Geneva Dye Darrah and died peacefully on April 1, 2025, at the Webb House in Smithville, Tennessee. He was a faithful member of the Smithville Church of Christ.
Dave graduated from Marietta High School in 1954, and in subsequent years attended
Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas, and Ohio State University. After changing majors several times and still being indecisive about a career choice, he dropped out and went to work as a lineman for Bell Telephone while he waited to be called for the draft. It was his three years in the Army that Dave attributed as finally giving his life direction. As a non-combatant, he was assigned to the medical corps–and found his calling. He was stationed at a military hospital at
Canal Zone, Panama. There, one of his assignments was Vaccinating the indigenous Cuna Indians in the San Blas Islands. The two years in Panama and an additional year at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., fixed his determination to pursue a career as a medical missionary. Church had always played a large part in his life and this seemed like a perfect fit.
In 1969 Dave fulfilled one of his dreams and graduated from the University of Tennessee
Medical School in Memphis. Another dream was soon to be fulfilled. As a kid, Dave had always been fascinated by planes and flying. He spent hours building model planes and even trying to assemble motorized models. He longed to be able to fly a real plane. After completing his medical internship in Memphis, Dave worked briefly for Planned Parenthood and serendipitously met a classmate who was also a flight instructor. Thus, he learned to fly and got his private pilot’s license, a hobby he enjoyed for many years.
After completing his residency in family practice at the University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, he joined a medical group in Gallatin and worked there until he opened his own
medical office in Alexandria in 1977. There he practiced for the next 25 years. He was a typical country doctor, delivering babies and making house calls. It was during the years in Alexandria that another of his goals came to fruition–the goal of doing medical missions.
Prophetically, his first mission was to Panama where he had started out as an army medic so many years before.
He influenced the first Church of Christ medical mission to the San Blas Islands. Through the years, Dave was sometimes accompanied on his mission trips by his entire family, including his grandchildren. For the next forty years he made multiple mission trips to more than 25 countries.
Although he was a zealous worker wherever he served, Hope for Haiti’s Children was the mission closest to his heart.
Dave was interested in civic affairs and served on the Smithville Airport Board as well as the Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital board. He was a past President of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians. He loved the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree, going to the lake, and took up scuba diving after he retired. One of his greatest joys was spending time with his family and friends. He especially enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren participate in events from the Pinewood Derby to rodeo to basketball to soccer to family scuba diving trips.
In addition to his parents Dave was predeceased by his brother, Joseph William Darrah
of Smithville. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marsha Young Darrah and his daughters, Jane (Rob) Ramsey and Kate (Billy) Miller and grandchildren Jake and Darrah Ramsey and Bill and Cameron Miller all of Smithville. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Carol Darrah of Cookeville and by several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family is grateful to Dr. Hugh Don Cripps and his staff and Lora Webb and staff of
the Webb House and the Gentiva Hospice staff for the wonderful care they gave Dave during his last year.
From the time he was a medical student, Dave determined that upon his death he wanted his body to be donated to the University of Tennessee Medical School for the use of
future medical students.
Interment in Smithville Town Cemetery will occur at a later date. A memorial service will take place at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home on Saturday, April 12th at 6pm.
The family will receive visitors from 4pm until the time of the service. Memorials may be made to Hope for Haiti’s Children, PO Box 62328 Cincinnati, OH 45262-0328 or the Smithville Town Cemetery Association, 300 East Main Street, Smithville TN 37166.
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
