Charles Terrenoire Darrah

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Charles Terrenoire Darrah, who was born to Charles Edward Darrah, Jr. and Freda Beulah Peterson on August 26, 1946, in Martins Ferry, Ohio. He passed away peacefully and suddenly on the evening of June 18, 2026, at his home in Evergreen, Colorado. He stayed lively his entire life. Charlie is genuinely missed by many people.

Charlie served in the active-duty Air Force from 1964 to 1968 during the Vietnam War as a Morse Code Interceptor/Radio Operator. Known as Terry while growing up, an Air Force officer told him, “We already have a Terry. From now on, your name is Charlie.” He was stationed in Japan and Thailand and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. After his service in the Air Force, he worked as a computer operator at Hughes Aircraft in California. Eventually, Charlie moved to Louisville, Colorado. He enrolled at Metro State College (n/k/a, Metro State University) in Denver, Colorado, where he studied psychology and philosophy. Having a highly active nature and a strong will to succeed led Charlie to entrepreneurial pursuits, which included becoming a part-owner of Solar Realty, where he also worked as a real estate agent. As the real estate market began to struggle, and Charlie’s interest as a realtor changed, he became the owner of a dry-cleaning hazardous waste recycling route business involving both sales and service. His career history also included being a parts washer and solvent salesman to the automotive industries, a solvent salesman to restaurants, a hazardous waste legal compliance officer, and a business consultant.

One of Charlie’s admirable traits was his communications skill. People looked up to him because he did not use foul language, and he believed in living a clean life by avoiding drinking alcohol and smoking. In his own words, he prided himself on being very truthful and never giving unsolicited advice.

Charlie loved and respected people. He was very friendly and saw the good in everyone. As the saying goes, “He never met a stranger”, which is an appropriate description of Charlie. He showed a lot of empathy and compassion toward people struggling through certain aspects of life. He made people realize and understand the importance of their talents and life experiences. People warmed up to him because of his interest in them. He enjoyed listening to other people’s stories and sharing his own. What a kind person Charlie was to have the desire to learn about other people’s interests! Friends described him as having a glowing personality who brought joy and smiles to everyone. One long-time acquaintance recently described him as “bubbly,” a reflection of his joyful outlook on life and his easy friendliness. Another acquaintance shared her sadness upon hearing his passing, stating, “I love that man!”.

Charlie’s friends and his wife, Christine (Chris), delighted in his stories he related about the people he met. Charlie and Chris knew each other for 33 years, and they shared a life together in Evergreen, Colorado, for the last 21 of those years. Chris appreciated how eager Charlie was to show interest in her gardening. He shared her fondness for animals including wildlife, and he began learning about the different species of wild birds she feeds. He chose the magpie to study, one of the many types of wild birds Chris feeds, as a show of support for Chris’s hobby. He expanded that support and interest by wearing a cap adorned with an embroidered magpie.

One of Charlie’s favorite stories he enjoyed sharing involved a time when he assumed control over a struggling company. A prospective client asked Charlie if the new company is better than the former one, and Charlie told him that the new company is a good one and is very reputable. The client then asked, “Are you good enough to catch your truck?” as his truck was rolling down a hill! People were walking in front of the truck, trusting that the “driver” would notice them. Charlie was able to stop the truck because of its open-door design, and he won a new client.

A friend once noted that Charlie never seemed to be without a book. Being naturally inquisitive and having a passion for learning, he was always studying and delighting others with the most interesting facts he had discovered in his reading. He had a natural talent for holding people’s attention and making each conversation feel engaging and meaningful. He had an insatiable curiosity to learn many subjects. One of the many ways he challenged his brain included signing up for math classes with Kahn Academy (www.kahnacademy.org). He passed through all levels of math offered. His more recent pursuits included brushing up on Spanish by reading a Spanish-language Bible and reading a book on librarians who were spies during World War II. For many years, Charlie enjoyed playing chess on-line and in person and playing the 4,000-year-old Chinese game of Go. He would occasionally engage acquaintances in either game. One of his favorite memories was teaching chess to groups of young people.

Another interest of Charlie’s was showing people a form of self-discovery and personal development in the ancient art of toe reading! This fun activity fit Charlie’s personality and interests so well because he was able to interact with people in an interesting and humorous way. The interpretation of a person’s toes can reveal their personality traits, past experiences, and the direction of their lives. Charlie would explain how each toe has a distinctive meaning, depending on length, size, position next to another toe, and structure. Charlie was asked to read toes at parties, picnics, and festivals. Most people accepted the fun of it, while some people were shocked at the accuracy of the readings! On one occasion, a very skeptical person with a derogatory attitude degraded Charlie’s toe-reading skills. Eventually, the person accepted the challenge of having his toes read, mostly to disprove Charlie’s knowledge and talent. As Charlie read the skeptic’s toes, the person was so shocked and impressed at the accuracy of the reading that he changed his opinion of this unusual and accurate practice.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Christine (Chris) Ellen Park; stepson, Michael (Mike) Christopher Colchin; stepdaughter, Cheryl Marie Colchin; sister, Nancy Eleanor Darrah; nieces Tammy Jo Darrah and Terri Lea Darrah; cousin, Diana Darrah Parker and her family; and many other cousins on both sides of his family. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, James Edward Darrah and Russell Eugene Darrah.