On a Sad Note:

[Yoda]

I received word yesterday of a fellow 1981 Registry member that has passed away.

Many here know Darrell Graves aka Vette81 many may not (check out his website . Darrell has been in for the fight of his life for sometime now. The last event that I saw Darrell and his wonderful wife Chris was CruiseFest III 2006 at Bowling Green, KY.

His pressence here at CAC and in our Forums has been limited due to his illness. I am very sad to hear of my Friends passing. I believe he is were he should be and things are better for him.

I need to say a few things about my Friend before I post futher information about his pending services.

Darrell and I met online when we had the Registry startup, 1998. Then we met for real at "Rendezvous 2001". We had many great talks about Corvettes, Viet Nam and life in general. Darrell and I were in Nam at exactly the same time and even think we may have been in the same places, but niether of us can remember ever meeting prior to the 1981 Corvette bringing us together.

A great man, a larger than life man at around 6' 6" or so, but the heart of Bambi and the soul of a Saint.

The Corvette world doesn't skip a beat when someone like Vette81 dies, yet it's people like Darrell that make owning a Corvette and sharing the memories the experience WHAT it's suppose to be. I've met many of the great names involved in the Corvette World and I'm just as impressed with friends like Darrell as I am the name droppers... Our hobby just lost a great enthusiast and human being.

Darrell Graves, 57, of Madison passed away Thursday, August 16, 2007 in Huntsville.

Information below is provided Bladie88 Ron H.

Funeral arrangements for Darrell Graves are as follows:​

Visitation will be Monday August 20, 2007 from 2:00-4:00 with a chapel service following at 4:00 at Madison Chapel Funeral Home 8521 Highway 72W, Madison AL. Darrell will then be flown to St. Louis on Tuesday and burial is tentatively scheduled for Thursday at Jefferson Barracks.

Cards of condolences may be sent to
Chris Graves
100 Frankie Lane
Madison, AL 35757

The family asked that donations be made to any American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.

Please keep Chris' and Darrell's family in your thoughts and prayers



Bud
You will be missed my Brother

 

[chockey]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS.

 

[B17Crew]

My condolences, I’m sorry to read of Vette81’s passing. I visited his web page, sure looks like he had fun with his ’81.

B17Crew

 

[XLR8]

My condolences on the passing of your friend, Yoda.

 

[pbcanney]

My condolences to his family and friends. It's never easy

God Speed, Darrell

 

[bill81vette]

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family....

 

[Nobody Cares]

Our condolences to family and freinds . Dave and Sandy

 

[coptertom]

I am truly sorry to hear about Darrell / AKA vette81. During the times that I have visited the L81 Vette Registry Forum, I would always take special notice of the threads that he had posted. You could tell that he was a man committed to helping others in need.

My prayers go out to his family and friends and he will be missed however not forgotten!

 

[Baldie88]

Remembering Darrell

I have known Darrell for a long time. We worked together here in St. Louis and became closer friends once we moved to Huntsville. He lived about a mile from us.

I remember when Darrell first got his Vette as he came by our house to show it off to me and a neighbor who was also a St. Louis transplant. After I got my Vette I got him to join Valley Vettes in Huntsville. For some reason I always seemed to drive. He said my C4 had more room than his C3 but I doubt it. Through the years we learned that we both loved Vettes and flying.

Darrell started with a multitude of problems about 3 or 4 years ago. When he was having a good day I would get him to go on a cruise with the club but for the last several years he hadn't been able to do much. We retired from civil service roughly the same time and I moved back to St. Louis while Darrell stayed down there and got a job with a government contractor. I've kept in touch with him and his friends down there so I've been getting updates for quite a while.

The last 4 months have been a bad time. He has been hospitalized during this time and had just gotten transferred to a nursing home about 2 days before he died. When he finally took a turn for the worse they decided to not do any extraordinary means to keep him alive and he went quietly. Darrell left his wife Chris, a couple of kids and his parents in Iowa and many friends.

I got a call this evening (Saturday night) and his burial will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary here in St. Louis on Wednesday at 1230. Several of us are going to the service. He'll join a growing list of friends there and someday I guess I'll join them.

Thank you for all the kind words for Darrell and I'll see that Chris sees this thread.

Ron
"Baldie88"

 

[Yoda]

Thank you Ron for all the updates.

A Great Man attracts Great Friends ​

 

[Bobsvette]

Very sad to read post's like this, All the best to his family. Bob Y.

 

[GerryLP]

I wish his family all the peace during this time of sorrow.

 

[BLACKDOG]

Thanks Bud for letting us know.
I was fortunate enough to meet "Grizz" at the "Rendezvous" in 2001.
His spirit will remain with with us that shared his passion.
My condolences to his family and friends.

the DawG

 

[Mac]

I'm glad I got to meet Darrell at CFIII in Bowling Green. I didn't realize until Bud told me later that Darrell was, even then, fighting cancer. So young...

My condolences to his family and friends.

-Mac

 

[22229stingray81]

My condolences to his family. We'll miss you, friend.

 

[herron]

Godspeed, Darrell.

 

[Tritium007]

Such sad news. My prayers go out to all who loved him.

Mike

 

[Pa Goose]

As a vetran I think I will ask the boss for the day off Thursday to attend the services at Jefferson Barracks, that is if Chris doesn't mind. I will be driving 2ndLUV paying tribute to him in two ways.

EW1 John R. Deaton
U.S. Navy Retired

 

[Pseudomind]

Just a sad note, drive on in heaven and rest your soul. My sincere condolences to the family

Howard

 

[darkstar]

I received word yesterday of a fellow 1981 Registry member that has passed away.

Many here know Darrell Graves aka Vette81 many may not (check out his website . Darrell has been in for the fight of his life for sometime now. The last event that I saw Darrell and his wonderful wife Chris was CruiseFest III 2006 at Bowling Green, KY.

His pressence here at CAC and in our Forums has been limited due to his illness. I am very sad to hear of my Friends passing. I believe he is were he should be and things are better for him.

I need to say a few things about my Friend before I post futher information about his pending services.

Darrell and I met online when we had the Registry startup, 1998. Then we met for real at "Rendezvous 2001". We had many great talks about Corvettes, Viet Nam and life in general. Darrell and I were in Nam at exactly the same time and even think we may have been in the same places, but niether of us can remember ever meeting prior to the 1981 Corvette bringing us together.

A great man, a larger than life man at around 6' 6" or so, but the heart of Bambi and the soul of a Saint.

The Corvette world doesn't skip a beat when someone like Vette81 dies, yet it's people like Darrell that make owning a Corvette and sharing the memories the experience WHAT it's suppose to be. I've met many of the great names involved in the Corvette World and I'm just as impressed with friends like Darrell as I am the name droppers... Our hobby just lost a great enthusiast and human being.

From Left to Right:
Darrell (Vette81) & Chris, Dale (DDLS)., Me (Rare81) & Bob (NUT).​

Information below is provided Bladie88 Ron H.

Funeral arrangements for Darrell Graves are as follows:​

Visitation will be Monday August 20, 2007 from 2:00-4:00 with a chapel service following at 4:00 at Madison Chapel Funeral Home 8521 Highway 72W, Madison AL. Darrell will then be flown to St. Louis on Tuesday and burial is tentatively scheduled for Thursday at Jefferson Barracks.

Cards of condolences may be sent to
Chris Graves
100 Frankie Lane
Madison, AL 35757

The family asked that donations be made to any American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.

Please keep Chris' and Darrell's family in your thoughts and prayers



Bud
You will be missed my Brother

I did not know you my fellow soldier. It seems you were a kind and gentle person and a "vette" man too boot... GODspeed and my sincere condolences to your family. Taps is a powerful song and America is grateful

Sincerely
Darkstar