Louis Dean Darnall, age 78, of Brandenburg, KY passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Baptist Health Hardin.
Louie was born on August 9, 1946, in Louisville, KY, son of the late Evelyn Bell Board Darnall and Harold Damon Darnall. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Gilbert and Gordon Darnall, and his brother-in-law, Richard Miller.
Raised in a musical family in the Ekron area, Louie maintained that love of music throughout his lifetime. Also born in Ekron was his love for baseball. As a member of the Brandenburg Little League All Stars, he pitched a no-hitter in the area semi-finals with a 9-1 win over the Fort Knox Nationals. For that MVP performance, he made headlines in both The Meade County Messenger and the Louisville Courier-Journal. When he entered Meade County High School, Louie was the only freshman to make the Varsity Baseball team and enjoyed four highly successful seasons with great teammates.
Following graduation from MCHS in 1965, Louie’s career began with employment at Western Electric and Brandenburg Telephone Company followed by a stint as Branch Manager for Citizens Bank. He also served as a Drill Sergeant in the 100th Division of the U.S. Army Reserves. In the early 1970’s, Louie’s true professional calling emerged. With Fred Wheatley as his mentor, Louie became a “car” man. From selling to management to buying at auctions, Louie spent decades at various auto dealerships including Wheatley Chevrolet, Applegate Motors, Craig and Landreth, Brown-Powers, Tony Brown, and John Jones. Throughout those same years, Louie also enjoyed playing softball, umpiring baseball and softball games, playing cards, watching Meade County and Kentucky sports, and playing golf. Most of all, he enjoyed being a dad to Meredith, a husband to “Peppy” and a surrogate grandfather to his beloved Wilson boys: Luke, Mack, and Brock. Retirement recently brought much more time on the golf course accompanied by increased hours in his recliner watching the “Western Channel.”
Louie was baptized at Salem Baptist Church on August 12, 1956. He was a member of Salem Baptist during childhood and youth; later he attended Phillips Memorial and First Baptist Church. Just last week, Louie acknowledged to his surgeon, “I am 78 years old. I have had a good life. It’s all in the Lord’s hands.”
Louie is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Peggy Darnall; daughter, Meredith Darnall of Chicago, IL; sisters, Faye Miller, Donna (Dana) Rosson, Debbie Gossett, Barbara (Bill) Lowther; brothers, Larry (Bonnie) Darnall and Danny (Pam) Darnall; sister-in-law, Edith Darnall; brother and sister in-laws, Roberta (Ron) Hockman and Barbara (Lynn) Thompson; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Bruington-Jenkins-Sturgeon Funeral Home on Friday, December 13, 2024, from 3:00-7:00 P.M. and Saturday at Brandenburg United Methodist Church (215 Broadway Street, Brandenburg, KY 40108) from 10:00 A.M. to the time of service.
Funeral services will be held at Brandenburg United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. with Bro. Ron Hockman officiating and Rev. Lynn Beach assisting. Burial will follow in Eastlawn cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of donations to one of the following:
Roy A. Peace Football Camp (c/o Meade County Football, 938 Old State Road, Brandenburg, KY 40108)
(Louie and Peggy have sponsored this camp for 22 years in memory of her father.)
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105)
American Cancer Society (P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123)
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