Dr. Joseph Charles Darrow

Obituary of Dr. Joseph C. Darrow Jr. MD, MBA, COL (Retired) USAFR

Dr. Joseph C. Darrow Jr. passed away peacefully with his wife Kristine, and his daughter Grace by his side on March 3rd, 2024 at Harry S. Truman Veterans Hospital in Columbia, MO.

Dr. Darrow was a graduate of Dover Senior High School, then the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Free University of Brussels, Faculty of Medicine Candidature with distinction. Dr. Darrow completed his medical education at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 1977. He performed his Surgical Internship and Orthopedic residency at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. He then performed a Special Fellowship in Hand Surgery at the Mayo Clinic and Foundation, graduating in June of 1983. He participated in the private practice of Orthopedic Surgery until his retirement in 2017.

Dr. Darrow was an ardent patriot. Despite being unfit for military service for the Vietnam War, upon getting his medical degree, he enlisted in the New York Air National Guard, the 174th Fighter Wing in 1981, being commissioned as a Captain. He served in the Air National Guard as a Flight Surgeon through 1986, when family concerns forced his resignation. He continued in the Inactive Reserve, and in 1996 re-entered the Air National Guard. He saw combat service in Iraq in 2003, and Afghanistan in 2005, with the 179th Airlift Wing. He also saw service in Bosnia and Kosovo, and two Operation Southern Watch tours. In 2005 he closed his private practice and performed a two-year Active Duty Tour in Washington D.C. During that tour he was the Chief of Individual Medical Readiness at the Air National Guard Readiness Center for 8 months, then served with the Navy at the National Naval Medical Center, taking care of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom casualties and teaching Navy and Army Orthopedic Residents. After his tour was over, he joined the 193rd Special Operations Wing in 2008, and was promoted to Colonel in 2010. He then served in Balad, Iraq for three months. His final overseas tour was to Afghanistan in 2012.

Among his military decorations, he received the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Iraqi Service Medal, the Afghanistan Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Ribbon and Overseas Deployment Medals, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, as well as the Air Force Commendation and Achievement Medals. He also earned additional Air Force Medals of a lower order. He ended his career as a Chief Flight Surgeon, and Chief of Aerospace Medicine at the 193rd Special Operations Medical Group. Col. Darrow had over 1500 hours of flight time, with 400 of them in Combat Operations all in the C-130.

Upon retirement from the Air National Guard in March 2013, Col Darrow achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a Private Pilot, with Instrument Rating. He flew 500 hours in his Cessna 182, and then achieved his Multi-Engine Rating, and he and his wife purchased a Cessna 310R light twin in which he has approximately 250 hours. Next to his family, flying was the love of his life.

Dr. Darrow is survived by his loving wife, Kristine of Kirksville, Missouri; his daughters, Grace Irene Darrow of Kirksville, Missouri, and Summer Elizabeth Sellman and husband Chris of Geneseo, Illinois; son Robert P. Darrow of Wellington, Ohio. He is survived by one brother, Key Wier Darrow and wife Kumi of Landing, New Jersey; his grandchildren, Hunter Darrow, Eldon Jospeh Darrow, Eleanor Sellman, and Robert Sellman.

A Memorial service will be held Saturday, March 9th, 2024 at 12 p.m. at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home in Kirksville, Missouri with Chaplain Art Ulrich officiating. The visitation will be two hours prior to the service from 10-12 p.m. at the funeral home. The burial will be Monday, March 11th, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville, Missouri.

ARRANGEMENTS in the care of Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home.