Darrell William Garner

January 11, 1942 – March 3, 2026

Darrell William Garner, a long-time resident of San Ramon, California, and beloved husband, father and grandfather of the Garner family passed away on March 3, 2026, at San Ramon Medical Center in San Ramon, California, at the age of 84. He was born on January 11, 1942, in Hutchinson, Kansas to William Kenneth and Lorna Lillian Garner.

During childhood he lived on a farm near St. John, Kansas with interests in reading, farming, and raising beef cattle. After high school, he attended Kansas State University, majoring in Agricultural Economics. In 1965, he married Nancy J. Eisele at Eudora, Kansas. Following marriage and a draft notice, he was selected and attended Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the Supply Corps in 1966. For the next twenty-one years, he served in support and defense of his country at naval stations around the world, including Adak, Alaska, the Philippines, as well as aboard a ship in the Viet Nam war. While in the Navy, he completed two master’s degrees, one in Administration and another in Marketing. When he retired, he had advanced to the rank of Commander and had earned many medals and certifications. Amazingly, he found time for his family, coached basketball, assisted at many swimming meets, and gardened when possible. He exemplified honesty, wisdom, excellence and service to others.

After discharge from the Navy, he successfully managed his own insurance agency, eventually retired and worked part-time for 10 more years for other agents. He was deeply committed to God, church in various capacities, and most of all to his family. He was a member of the Gideons and enjoyed assisting with school Bible distributions. Darrell ‘s legacy lives on through his loving family, his steadfast honesty, faith and service to God, and genuine kindness to everyone he met.

He is survived by Nancy, his beloved wife of sixty years, son Douglas (and Rebecka) Garner of San Ramon, daughter Lisa (and Aaron) Smith of Vacaville, CA, and son Brian Garner (and Christina) of Lenexa, Kansas, and his grandchildren Noah Garner, Brady Garner (both of San Ramon), Casey Smith of Santa Rosa, Tyler Smith of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Mikayla (and Daniel) Koskenmaki of Cornelius, Oregon.

Celebrations of Life will be held on April 11, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at Church of the Valley, 19001 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon, California, followed by a reception. A celebration will be held on May 2, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at Minnis Chapel, 125 N. Main Street, Stafford, Kansas. Following burial in Stafford Cemetery, the family will host a reception in St. John, Kansas.

The family kindly recommends remembrance contributions be made to Church of the Valley, 19001 San Ramon Valley Blvd, San Ramon, CA 94583, or Farmhouse Foundation, 1021 Jefferson Street, Kansas City, MO 64105. Note “KSU Chapter Building Fund” on the donation.