Darrell Allen Negley

Darrell Allen Negley, 81, of Elizabeth, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home on June 10, 2026.

Born on April 6, 1945, in Canton, Illinois, to Paul and Lorena Negley, Darrell lived a full and active life. An avid outdoorsman from an early age, he enjoyed hunting small game as a child and spent more than 50 years pursuing whitetail deer and turkey. He also enjoyed showing quarter horses and barrel racing in his younger years.

Darrell earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Speech Communications from Western Illinois University and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Indiana University. He married Deborah (“Debbie”) Sue Hightower on June 4, 1977, and together they welcomed their daughter, Drew, in 1986.

Darrell retired from Western Illinois University, where he served as Assistant Director of the University Union, and later worked as Director of Operations for Farm King. In 2015, Darrell and Debbie moved to Elizabeth, Colorado, to be closer to their daughter and family.

He is survived by his loving wife, Debbie; daughter, Drew (Michael) Bednarcyk; grandson, Miles Bednarcyk and sister, Ellen Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Lorena Negley and his brother-in-law, Bill Smith.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Ponderosa Valley Funeral Services in Parker, CO. Ken Duggar, M.A., of All Seasons Health, will officiate.