David Cordell

I will always remember Daryl as a man of good cheer. The last two times I saw him were a few weeks before his passing. He was in a re-hab hospital and told me that there were two blood clots in his brain that they were trying to dissolve. I am sure that he knew of the possibility that they would break loose and cause a fatal stroke, but he remained upbeat and shared his familiar chuckle.

We worked together in JCA at RHS. It seemed that everyone knew Daryl, and Daryl knew everyone. Even though we were on opposite ends of the political spectrum, there was never a cross word between us. 

One time when he visited my home, Daryl left behind a travel mug. I always intended to return it, but I always forgot. I still have it, and I hope Minta won't mind if I keep it for the memory.

Russ Stovall

Oh Daryl so many memories.  Especially when we were at Richardson Jr. HIgh (Abrams Jr. HIgh).  We would call you Chicken Summers because your family owned a fried chicken restaurant, at Beltline and 75.  Same strip where  Pizza Villa was.  We would walk from school to eat when we had final exams.  The best chicken and rolls you have ever eaten.  Mr. Summers would never let us pay.  9th grade football the day after a game,  we were in shorts and practice jerseys on the practice field behind the vistors side of Greenville Ave Stadium.  (Which your jersey was so big it hung almost to your knees.) You were the center and I was the QB.  Coach called a play, we broke the huddle, you bent over to grip the ball, as I approached to put my hands under your butt all I saw was your bare butt.  All you had on was a jock.  You could not find your shorts and didn't ask for some extras to keep from getting in trouble.  All I could do was laugh and I mean barrel laugh.  Coach Lowder was not amused with my laughter, since we lost the night before. I was laughing so hard I could not talk.  All I could do was point to you.  While Caoch Lowder was ripping me you had stood up and when he looked at what I was pointing to he didn't see what I had seen.  Finally I got it out that you didn't have any shorts on.  You then bent over for all to see.  The entire football team got a good laugh. I also cherish our T-Bone steaks that we would cook out on the grill.  The madest I think I ever saw you was when you got to my house off of Spring Valley.  You and Travis were coming over and when you were almost to my house, Travis decided to climb over the front seat.  Well the policeman saw him and you got a ticket for Travis not being buckled up.  You were always so proud of Travis for his accomplishments at RHS. 

Thank you Daryl for being my friend, you will be missed.  Love you Daryl.  RIP my friend and God Bless.

Eddie Norman

I have known Daryl since junior high.  I loved Daryl because he was always good for some laughs.  He was always in a good mood and always joking around.  He never took himself or anything else too seriously.  He had a great personality and never met a stranger.  I will miss you my friend.  May God bless you and your family.

Bob Fleming

I have the fondest memories of Daryl as well.

Russ, as you remember, we also played football together at RJHS in eighth grade when he was the center and I played quarterback.  I can remember three things quite distinctly -

a)  Every once in a while - for a laugh - Daryl would hike the ball either early or late on purpose.  Daryl told me that in the former case he liked to see how frustrated I was to receive the ball a count early.  In the latter case, he told me enjoyed watcing everyone jump offsides and all the commotion it caused.  I spent a lot of time in th huddle repeating the snap count over and over for Daryl's benefit and my own protection.

b)  Then there was the game in which Daryl played defense and received a unnecessary roughness penalty at a crucial time in the game.  At the team meeting the next day, Daryl claimed that it was a close thing and that he had already committed himself to the tackle when the whistle blew.  Unfortunately and unbeknownst to Daryl, Coach Pittman had filmed the game.  You could hear the whistle on the film and Coach counted "A thousand one, two three, four" and then Daryl piled on.  Nonplussed, Daryl told Coach, "You can't expect a fat guy like me to stop that fast Coach."  We all howled with laughter and to his credit, so did Coach Pittman.  

c)  And finally there was the time our team desperately needed a time out late in the game to force another team to punt so that we would have one last chance to score.  Since we had none left, Coach Pittman told me to run into the backfied and fall down and act as if I was injured, forcing the referee to stop the clock.  I couldn't do it (Catholic conscience I guess) and after the game apologized to Coach Pittman.  He laughed and said, "It's my fault Bobby, I should have asked Summers to do it."

I also remember Daryl's particular close friendship with our fullback Bruce Bell.  I found their devotion to each other touching.

I managed to get a phone call into Daryl a month or two ago and was able to tell him what I thought of him.

I found Daryl to be the most gregarious person in our class and as David has said,  he seemed to know and care about everyone.  I have never known Daryl to say anything mean or cruel or even unkind.  His devotion to Richardson ISD and his volunteer work for the district was exemplary.

My mother once instructed me (when I was in the throes of trying to prove manhood as Macho) that in fact she thought a sweet dispositon and kindness  were the most important characteristics of a good man.  I never forgot that.

Daryl was all of that.  Along with Randy Combs in our class, Daryl exemplified a basic Good Will to everyone he knew and met.  I'll remember him for that.  That, and the fact that over the years he always alled me "Bobby."

Dave Woodul

Some wonderful Daryl stories, espically some junior-high football stories I had forgotten about (thanks Russ and Bobby).  I remember when not playing football he would help the track team participants and was just a hoot to be around.  I'm sure he will be missed by many.

Steve Keene

I did not know Daryl in high school, but met him in the last ten years.  I think he was funny as can be and one of the most cheerful optimistic souls I ever met.  His humor was witty and dry and I wish I had known in high school where being a good willed nice guy was a rarity.   I did not share his politics, but he made his view points known honorably and with style and never mean spirited.  

Faye Mallow (Price)

Oh how Daryl will be missed!  He was always a breathe of fresh air with his humor and positive attitude.  

I really didn’t know him very well in high school but we reconnected initially via HS reunions. In the early years of 2000 our paths crossed again when he was working for Job Corps and I was a Branch Manager for a staffing firm . Out of the blue, he walked into one of my branches and our comraderie was rekindled. He was so dedicated to placing his graduates in meaningful and potentially long term jobs.

We were blessed to have visited him at Medical City Plano last month. Had a great visit. He and hubby (both from Nashville TN)  not only shared Nashville stories but heart stories as their heart health issues were mirrored. Went to visit again but he had just been discharged. 

Daryl was a very caring and compassionate person, who was there (with David Cordell) to be supportive of us when our son died. Those are things that are very meaningful regardless of how small they may seem at the time.

Rest In Peace, my good friend Daryl.  You lived a good and meaningful life and may you be at peace in His arms .

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

  I've only known Daryl for a few years having first talked to him on his sister Norma's phone when she was working in the floral department of Tom Thumb.  Norma assisted me with some flowers I was arranging for my aunt or friend - cannot remember the particular hostess - she might have been Martha Mize who was one of his several running buddies, all gals.  Norma and I introduced ourselves and told our stories, she having been in the first graduating Pearce class a year younger than Daryl.  I remembered hearing about him from you folks here.  So she dialed him up and we laughed and that began the party that was Daryl every time we met.  During one visit home to Texas Martha Mize and I drove over to an estate sale Norma was running.  While Martha looked through stuff, I sat with Daryl in the living room.  Every potential buyer of stuff who entered Daryl either knew or knew his/her neighbor, cousin, parent, ex wife, ex husband, child, dog.  I could chime in about some places and people with other old time Richardson residents. With Daryl a big world of interesting people past and present made our Richardson warm and comfortable and exciting.

He was a reader and loved showing me his appreciation of Southern writers.  Of course, he shared how he drove over to Kentucky and found Robert Penn Warren in some diner and, naturally, was invited or invited himself to sit down and converse at length with this one of our American poet laureates. 

I loved how devoted he was to his mother.  One of my other favorite stories he told was how in her last year or two of life his mother so missed driving her car given her poor eyesight.  Daryl packed her up in her car and drove over to a Sunday empty RHS stadium parking lot, switched seats with her and told her to drive to her heart's content.

Daryl, I love you and will forever smile with the memories of our interactions, the sweetest having been returning from my Class of 71 Saturday night reunion dinner to Martha Mize's house where I was staying with her and Nancy Mize, my classmate from Heights through RHS.  There you were waiting up.  In fact, you had called  me at least twice wondering when I would be leaving my class's festivities.  We sat up in the Mize family kitchen yakking and laughing.  You surely made a gal feel special. Thank you, Sweet D.

Pat Cowlishaw

My first memory of Daryl is from 7th grade at Richardson Jr. High, when I was a new kid, having moved from New Jersey the prior summer, and knew almost none of you.  Daryl was a smiling, friendly face even to a new kid, going so far as to invite me to sit at his table at lunch.  He might have his football jersey on, and I might be heading to band hall after lunch, but he had a smile and a friendly word for me.  That never changed.  And I never saw him treat anyone with anything other than a smile and kindness.

Decades later Daryl introduced himself to my wife Melanie when they were both very involved in RISD PTA activities.  Daryl made the connection to me and told her of our time together in junior high and high school.  Their paths kept crossing over the next several years.  RISD PTAs were then, and still are, largely made up of and run by women.  Daryl was a regular presence, and Melanie came to know him as the best kind of volunteer -- there to try to do some good for all of the kids, and to do it cheerfully.  Daryl worked hard and happily to give back some of what so many of us benefited from.  

I am very sorry Daryl will not be able to join us next year.  I am very glad to have known him, and for the life that he led.

Pat

Jerry May

Like Steve Keene.....I did not meet Daryl until our 40th reunion over at the Fox&Hound in Richardson. I found him to be good natured and seemed to be one of those who never met a stranger. 

Later, and at the other reunions.....I found him to be funny and talkative....and fun loving with the RHS family.

Though I didn't know him as well as the rest above......I found out from Martha Mize he was in the hospital at Baylor Plano. This was not long after our 45th I think and he had vascular and possibly heart issues. 

He was surprised when i walked in.....and we had a great visit. We compared war stories (health issues) and  laughed about how "no one cand get any rest in the hospital"! (this as several staff members were in and out!)

I'll always remember his jovial nature and super attitude. It is always a shame to lose fellow RHSers.....but this one was special.And I'll always remember our hour long visit. Daryl....you are already missed; but REST IN PEACE!~j