Joseph Dennis Darnell, 75, of Gainesville, MO was born September 14, 1946 in Fredericktown, MO. He passed away October 9, 2021 at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mtn Home, AR.
Joe was the son of Medford and Wilma (Smith) Darnell. He married Beverly Stevens on November 7, 1965. Joe and Beverly were the parents to two girls, Jeri and Jackie.
Joe spent his teenage years at his parents resort “Fish and Fiddle”. Joe often said there wasn’t a better place for a teenage boy to grow up than on the lake. Joe graduated from Mountain Home High School and attended Central Missouri State University and received his police officer certification. He spent many years as a deputy and later as a jailor for the Ozark County Sheriffs Department, a job that he took pride in and enjoyed very much. However, all that knew Joe knew his passion was horses. He and Beverly spent the majority of their lives showing and conditioning horses. Joe was known for his ability to get a horse ready for competition.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents Medford and Wilma; his brother Kenneth and his wife Beverly.
He is survived by his daughters Jeri (Danny) Dotson of Mtn Home, AR and Jackie (Jay) Smith of Dora, MO; his sisters Jan (Joe) Cook, Kathy (Glenn) Lee, Sugar (Rick) Sims, one brother Stone (Karol) Darnell. He is also survived by his four grandchildren Danielle Dotson, Laken (Drew) Berry, Hunter Jones, Isabella Dotson; one great grandson Ryder Berry; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Joe Darnell will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 15, 2021 at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home chapel in Gainesville, MO. Burial will be at Sims Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be his closet friends, Danny Dotson, Jay Smith, Drew Berry, Hunter Jones, Dick House, Roger Lonon, Randall Mitchell, Ed McJimsey, and Rocky Acklin.
Memorial contributions may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Sims Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville, MO.
