Darrell Eugene Skelton

Darrell Eugene Skelton was born on March 14, 1953 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. During his childhood, his family lived in Fayetteville and Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

As a child, Darrell excelled in school. A Tulsa Tribune newspaper article listed Darrell as the 6th-grade Spelling Bee champion at his school. It cited his favorite subjects as "spelling, reading, and band," along with his hobbies, "model cars, chess, and kites." Darrell was also a gifted musician. He was a member of the Young Tulsans, an elite concert and marching band, that toured and competed throughout the United States and Europe in the 1960s. At 17, Darrell joined the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War, and was stationed in Germany. His military decorations included a National Defense Service Medal and Parachute Badge.

Darrell moved to Dallas in the 1980s, where he met Melody. They spent 29 years together building a life and home in Sachse. He enjoyed working on his motorcycle, operating RC cars, planes, and drones, and building models. 

Darrell started his own business and for several years, Melody kept the books. At the time of his passing, Darrell remained the sole owner of the business, Filing & Storage / DES Storage Systems. Many of his clients, partners, and crew members worked with him for decades and were fortunate to witness how skilled he was at his work. 

More recently, Darrell learned to play the cello, wrote poetry and prose, and enjoyed attending concerts at the Garland Symphony Orchestra. 

He is preceded in death by his wife Melody Skelton, stepfather Danie Triplett, sister Carol Pruiett, and his grandparents. He is survived by his mother, Lena Mae Triplett, brother Larry Rood (wife Jeri), sister Kathy Hallman (husband Johnny), brother-in-law John Pruiett, and two nieces: Renee Birchfield (husband Parker) and Jessica Rood.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Garland Symphony Orchestra.