Darl C. Keister

There was no expiration stamp tattooed on Darl Keister’s heal that anyone could see, but he stepped out of our world and into the next on March 21^st while being held in the loving arms of his wife Terri.  Had that snake of disease, cancer, not reared its ugly head, no one would be reading this obituary today.

Born to Goldie May Ferringer and Gerald Clair Larimer on April 12, 1943 he was raised by his mother and step-father, Loyd Bartlett Keister in Sligo.  He attended Sligo Elementary, his favorite teacher being Mrs. Carmady in 1^st Grade; and then on to Union High School where he excelled in sports, cars and chasing girls.  For one who took so little interest in academics as a young man, he spent his entire adult years in education.

Darl’s academic degrees include a Bachelor of Science degree in Math from Clarion State Teacher’s College, Master’s degree in Guidance from Slippery Rock State Teacher’s College, and a Master’s degree in Administration from Westminster College.  After a short stint in the U.S. Air Force, Darl’s educational career began at AC Valley as a math teacher, on to Titusville Junior High School as a guidance counselor and assistant principal, and then to Rocky Grove high School as their high school principal.  In 1978 he moved to Virginia where he continued to work in education at a variety of high schools and a variety of positions for Chesterfield County Public School system until his retirement in 2006.  His proudest time as an educator came during the last 15 years of his career, as he was the guidance coordinator for an alternative education high school, aiding enumerable troubled students in staying in school and receiving their high school diplomas.  After retirement, Darl did a little substitute teaching in the local high school, and perhaps his most enjoyable role as an educator came more recently as a math tutor for the local Career Center Practical Nursing program.

In his earlier life with an earlier wife, Darl had two children a son and a daughter.  Chad Aaronson is an attorney in Houston, TX and Traci Isbell is an office administrator for a security firm in Fort Worth, TX.  Darl’s only grandchild, Trae Isbell, attends North Richland High School.  Over the years there were many airline trips, road trips, and vacations spent with the young ones he loved so much.  Darl always smiled more when he was with his children.  Darl has an older brother, Gary Larimer who lives in Richmond, VA with his wife Ronda.  After moving back to the Clarion area in 2006, in addition to the occasional visits back and forth across state lines, the brothers would spend hours each week on the phone checking in with each other and sharing their lives.  Carol Larimer Clark is Darl’s baby sister, and as such held a special spot in his heart.  Though 25 years apart in age, the two became instant friends on the day they met.  One of Darl’s great joys in moving back to Clarion was to be included in her family circle with husband, Dick and her children Rachel, Sarah, and Will.  Although every day was a special day, his nieces and nephew will always remember “cookie day” and “Christmas Bingo” as highlights to their holidays.

In 1976 Darl married the love of his life, Terri Amadio from Fryburg.  For nearly 37 years Darl loved, respected, teased, harangued, spoiled, cajoled, laughed with, cried with, comforted and treasured his little Italian spitfire. No one has everything in life, but they had each other through all the trials and tribulations of life, and that was more than enough.  One doesn’t often get to marry ones best friend.

Darl loved to hunt in his younger day, but not necessarily when it was entirely legal.  He loved to golf all his life until a neck injury a few years back prevented him from swinging the club.  He loved to take walks in the woods.  Darl enjoyed watching local athletes and attended many high school sporting events, cheering on young players as the honed their skills.  In you were a friend; there wasn’t a thing in the world Darl wouldn’t have done for you.  And lastly, Darl loved his dogs to distractions: there was crazy Tramp, who thought he was the neighborhood stud; Elsa, the sweetest mutt in town; Maddie, lovingly known was “The Mouth of the South”; Levi, his best bud; Abbie, the golden goddess; and the newest two - - Nick and Noah, inseparable brothers whose crazy antics made these last few months such a joy for Darl.

Darl has a slew of relatives – aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and outlaws.  You know who you are and you know he loved each and everyone of you.  Family was very important to him and so to each of you he said to tell you, “Hello. I’m fine. God has me in his hands. All’s well.”

Friends and family will be received from 2-4pm and 7-9pm at Faller Funeral Home, Inc. in Fryburg on Sunday, March 24, 2013.  Mass of a Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Michael Church in Fryburg on Monday, March 25, 2013 at 10am with Rev. D.G. Davis III, pastor as the celebrant.  Interment in the St. Michael Cemetery will follow the mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorial requests of donations may be made to the Clarion hospital Foundation – Education Fund, the Clarion Hospital Cancer Center, or to a charity of your choice.

Please visit www.fallerfuneralhome.com to share your memories and photos, and offer your condolences.

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