Guest Memories

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  • Aunt Pat
    December 12, 2012 at 12:00 am

    I will always remember walking to the Church with your Mom and her saying “I was always late for Mom’s birthday and this year I gave her my greatest gift - I gave her my son”, as you see Grandma Hegarty’s birthday was June 15. I hold this in my heart as I know Mom has you by her side.

  • Katie
    March 13, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Darrel, you are so missed. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t relive the day we lost you. How much I wish I could go back and change time. But, I guess God needed you more than us. That is still hard for me to say because you were such a huge part of our family.
    I looked up to you and Dan so much. You both were my hero’s. You taught me how to see the good in others that most people looked past.
    You were so smart and intellectual. I remember how you wanted to be a Republican in very Democratic times. How many teenagers think like that? I wonder what you would think now? I am so sorry that you were so under appreciated.
    I remember one time when I was running the mile in grade school. I was a chubby kid and way behind the others. You stood at the side and said “Come on Katie, run!” I was so embarrassed because I was so slow. I could still hear you in High School every time I competed in something. It made me try harder. I always thought, “I wish he could see me now!”
    I am sorry we fought so much. I am sorry I never told you how much I loved you. I hope you know now. I knew all along you were an angel on earth.
    Thank you God for letting us be with him, even for just a short time.

  • Maureen Thompson
    June 15, 2013 at 12:00 am

    It has been 28 years ago tomorrow and I still remember the day you died like it was yesterday. You have been gone longer than you were here. I have so many memories and feel very sad that the younger ones weren’t able to remember all about you.
    If we are here to learn lessons until God calls us home then I know why God called you so soon.
    I remember your paper route and you and Dan getting up so early and delivering papers is some of the worst winters that I can remember. We didn’t have much money for Christmas and you and Dan would save your paper route money and splurge to buy us all gifts from Gambles and Keller’s Pharmacy. You always spent too much money and made sure it was something that each kid would really want.
    Christmas time was some of my favorite memories. Waking up really early and peeking down the stairway to see what presents were there and waking up the rest of the kids to be so excited for them at what they got and really annoyed with me when I was ungrateful! Like the girly pink sleeping bag that I wanted and instead got a navy blue sub zero boyish sleeping bag. You and Dan were very annoyed because that one was way better than any cheap girl sleeping bag that you could only sleep indoors with.
    I remember you and Dan always being on the edge of getting a spanking. After all, it was fun to doing things that were on the edge. Like when Grandpa Kayl took in the Vietnamese refugees and they would go upstairs into the big bedroom to pray. They would sit in a circle with the door closed and you and Dan would run upstairs open the door really fast and shut the light off and then run down stairs and we would all three laugh because it was naughty. 
    I remember when were supposed to be in bed we would get up in the dark run out and throw a toy at the baby sitter and then run back to bed just to be naughty. 
    I remember going to the boxing club with you and Dan and watching you both box. 
    I remember the punt, pass and kick competitions and the trophies. 
    I watched you and Dan play baseball and remember that in your baseball uniforms was the only time I had trouble telling you and Dan apart.
    Watching you and Dan play football was the best because your size was always underestimated. 
    I remember being at the spring CCD picnic and watching you and Dan win a bunch of the competitions and then when it came to my class nobody would be my partner for the events so I sat out.  You were really annoyed and complained to one of the teachers that there weren’t enough kids for me to get to play so you should get to be my partner and she agreed.  So you came up to me and told me I am your partner for the rest of the races and we are going to win and we did.  I still have the plastic Mary statues that we won. 
    Your heart for the underdog was always obvious and even when it was uncomfortable or not popular you stuck up for the little guy.  I can’t recall a single time when you didn’t. 
    I remember watching you walk into the lunch room one day and get your lunch tray and stop.  You looked over at the football players that you could have sat down with and then looked over at a kid that was typically shunned sitting by himself at a different table- I don’t think he had indoor plumbing.  You walked over to his table and sat by this kid who sat by himself most of the time.  You didn’t say anything and then blessed yourself and prayed before you ate your lunch.  I sat there miffed at how you always seemed to do what was maybe considered uncool, even if you were teased for it, but was really the right thing to do. 
    I remember you had Knowledge is Power on your class ring and I told you should have put the football logo or baseball on your ring and you laughed and said sports aren’t even close to as important as Knowledge is.  You were right.

  • Ginny (Kayl) DeBates
    June 16, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Darrel,
    Remember when…
    Remember when you tried to teach me to drive the motorcycle and I kept getting the clutch and the brake mixed up? You would say—-“Give it gas and slowly let the clutch out, stupid!” Right then I proceeded to give it so much gas that I ended up my BTU (Gary Kayl word) on the road and the motorcycle in the ditch? That was the end of my lesson! 😊
    Remember how you were so nervous about going to your first high school dance that you shut your bedroom door and asked me if I would teach you how to dance? You turned on the radio and we danced to China Grove or some other Doobie Brothers’ song. It was hilarious, as 80’s dancing really had no rhythm. All you kept saying was, “This is dumb!”
    Remember when we were little and our neighbor, Pogue, would tell you and Dan that he was going to hang you up on his clothesline by your toes if you came into his yard? And how it was always ok that I went into their yard? I remember making faces at you as I stood in the safety of Pogue’s grass—acting like it was so fun to be in his yard! What a mean sister I was.
    I remember begging you to give me a ride on your new bike with the banana seat and us going (what felt like) 100mph down the hill by Joe McCardle’s house. We hit gravel and did an Evel Knievel-like crash. I had no skin left on my elbows and knees. I didn’t beg you for any more rides. 😊
    Remember what amazing care you took of the people at the nursing home? I remember you getting called in the middle of night because so-and-so was angry/upset and they needed you to help calm them down. You always loved people that were tough to love.
    After you died, the saddest service was the one that they held in your honor at the nursing home. All of the residents came out to tell us all how much they loved you and how you always took such great care of them. They hung your senior picture on the wall. I was so proud, Darrel.
    We miss you and it makes me sad that my kids never got to know you, but I have faith that you will see them and they will know you when we all meet again.
    Love you, brother.
    Gin

  • Landy Schwiesow
    June 20, 2014 at 12:00 am

    I think about him from time to time and miss him a lot. I remember playing at the school playground with both Dan and Darrell and riding our bikes all over town, and camping out in the back yard. Thoughts and prayers to all of the Kayls. Love you all!

  • Cathy Scollard
    June 20, 2014 at 12:00 am

    I can say so much about that day. We rode motorcycles with Mike Greg until I had to go to work at the good ol Dairy Queen. Him and Dan are such a part of my childhood and I am very lucky to call Darrell and Dan Kayl my closest friends. There is not much I would not do for them. I think and still talk to him everyday and I stop by every time I go to Ponca. My girls never met him but they know so much of Dan and Darrell through the stories I tell them and they are with me when I visit him at the cemetery. Love to you all. Never let his laughter and his spirit leave you. Though we do not now hear his voice, I know he is always with us.