DARRAH, Robert L. (1928-2018)

DARRAH

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/29/2019 at 23:08:54

Robert Layton Darrah
(December 9, 1928 - November 26, 2018)

Robert “Coach” Darrah, 89, passed away Monday, November 26, 2018 at his home in Indianola. Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m., Friday, November 30, 2018 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 210 R63 Hwy, Indianola, IA. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date following the wrestling season, date and time to be determined.
Robert Layton Darrah, was born December 9, 1928 in Marshalltown, IA the son of Glenn E. and Murine E. (Sullivan) Darrah. Bob graduated from Chariton High School in 1947 and enlisted in the Iowa National Guard on June 19, 1947. He also served in the United States Navy and was Honorably discharged in June of 1955. Bob received his Bachelors of Art from Westmar College in 1958 and his Masters of Arts in 1966 from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College.
On August 18, 1957 he was united in marriage to Donna Irene Ely in Battle Creek, IA. To this union three children were born, Jon, Sara and Matt. He had taught and coached in Morning Sun from 1958 to 1967, Urbandale from 1967 to 1969, Dowling High School from 1969 to 1989 and Simpson College from 1989 to 2012 in Wrestling, Men’s Golf and Women’s Golf. He retired as the winningest coach in Iowa High School Wrestling dual meet history with a winning percentage of 95%. He was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Dowling Catholic Hall of Fame, Chariton High School Hall of Fame, Westmar College Hall of Fame, Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame and Simpson College Coaches Hall of Fame. He was the 1977 Iowa Class 3A Coach of the Year, 1988 Amateur Wrestling News High School Coach of the Year, 1990 National High School Athletic Coaches Association Nation Coach of the Year, 1991 Iowa Conference Wrestling Coach of the Year, and Iowa Conference Women’s Golf Coach of the Year 10 times.
Coach and Donna were blessed to be survived by their family, Jon (Theresa) Darrah, Sara Darrah and Matt (Cindy) Darrah; grandchildren, Whitni (Michael) Hancock, Tyler Darrah, Maicy, Lindsay and Katelyn Darrah; great-grandchildren, Gavin, Cash and Jade Darrah-Hancock; siblings, Bill “Scooter” (JoAnn) Darrah, Marilyn “Kay” Warden, and Don “Butch” (Janice) Darrah. He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; parents, Glenn and Murine Darrah; and sister, Sally Howell. This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/