DARRAGH, Alexander H. 1941-2019

DARRAGH, MACDIARMID

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 11/12/2019 at 09:54:58

Alexander H. Darragh

Alexander H. Darragh passed away on Wednesday November 6 at his home in the historic Highland Park of Waterloo, Iowa surrounded by his loving family. 

Alex was born October 27, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, to Alexander and Ruth Darragh.  On June 20, 1964 he married Sally MacDiarmid at her parent’s country home in Richmond, Illinois.  After 33 years he retired from John Deere on December 31, 1998. Following retirement, Alex volunteered his time, knowledge and skills to organizations that shared his passions for civic responsibility, historic homes and environmental sustainability. He loved to travel out West with his family, he had a lifelong love of astronomy, a great passion for steam-engine trains and was a model train enthusiast like his father before him.

Alex was surrounded by his supportive family throughout his 7-year battle with Mesothelioma cancer.  The world is a better place due to his loving, caring, genuine, ethical, compassionate, empathetic, honest, generous and fair personality.  He will be dearly missed. 

A special thanks to Alex’s medical team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

Alex was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, Leslie and Bette MacDiarmid.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years; two sisters, Cynthia Oatman of North Carolina and Deborah (David) Bercot of Pennsylvania; Five children, Alexander (Amy) Darragh of Ohio, Stuart Darragh of Illinois, Elizabeth (Bradford) Sampson of Massachusetts, Mattison (Christine) Darragh of Iowa, Ann Bilanzich of Tennessee; ten grandchildren, Alexander, Nicholas, Megan, Emma, Allison, Sara, Bradford, Abigail, Katherine and Ella Jane.

A Celebration of Life for friends and family will be held on November 30, 2019 at the Grout Museum at 10:30 in the morning.  All who attend are invited to share a favorite story or memory of Alex.  Online memories and stories may be shared on Alex’s site on Caringbridge.com

Memorials may be made to the Grout Museum District, Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony, Sierra Club, Habitat for Humanity, Your Neighborhood Association, Hartman Reserve, The Audubon Society, The Arboretum and UnityPoint Hospice.

Flowers may be sent to the Grout Museum on November 29 for Alex’s Celebration of Life.

SOURCE: Parrott and Wood Funeral Service