Floyd F Darrow

Floyd F. Darrow

Obituary

NEWTON — Floyd F. Darrow, 93, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday (Feb. 10, 2012) at his residence in Newton. 

He was born to Earl B and Clara May Darrow on Feb. 19, 1919, in Pueblo, Colo. His family moved to Albuquerque in 1929 and purchased the Thomas Creamery and opened the Darrow Ice Cream Business. 

Floyd attended the Albuquerque public schools and was a very active athlete. He was the captain of both the championship Albuquerque High School basketball team and Albuquerque High School football team.

He and his two brothers were elected to the Albuquerque High School Hall of Fame in 2009.  Floyd attended the University of New Mexico and was the co-captain of the UNM Lobo football team that went to the Sun Bowl. 

He also played semi professional baseball in Albuquerque for a short while and later raced stock cars at the Albuquerque Speedway Park in the 1950s.

Floyd was trained in the Army Air Corps as a B17 pilot and quickly progressed to become a B29 pilot instructor during the Second World War. Floyd was stationed at Holloman AFB and Kirtland AFB.

After the war, he continued in the ice cream business and became very active in the community. He was one of several persons responsible for founding the current Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute. Floyd also served on the APS School Board, was president of the Kiwanis, a member of the Masons, and a deacon at the Albuquerque and Newton First Presbyterian Church.

Floyd served as a representative in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 1954 through 1956.  He later moved to Newton, where he became the vice president of the First Kansas Life Insurance Company.

He is survived by his current wife, Maxine; brother, Barton Darrow; daughter, Dona Wilpolt-Cook; sons, Roger and Patrick; and several grandchildren.

Floyd was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Jo; and second wife, Nadine.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 18, 2012) at the Presbyterian Manor Chapel in Newton. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Newton, or Boy Scout Troop 123 in Newton (in care of Petersen Funeral Home of Newton).