Darrell Gene Manuel, 82, passed away peacefully in Oklahoma City on December 17, 2023, with his beloved wife, Karen, by his side.
Darrell was born on March 19, 1941 in Cushing, Oklahoma to Eugene and Gwendolyn (Woolver) Manuel. He graduated from Cushing High School in 1959, performing as drum major for the high school band during his junior and senior year.
Darrell continued his education at Oklahoma State University, earning a degree in Sociology. He later earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma. In 1964, Darrell began a 27-year career in child welfare at the Department of Human Services. His employment evolved from social worker to program assistant administration, yet his mission always centered on services to families and children.
After retirement from the Department of Human Services, Darrell continued to work as manager at Rainbow Records, first at the north May store then moving to the downtown OKC location. When that store closed, he worked as a clothing salesman for Cutchall’s. He loved being in the downtown work setting.
Darrell had many passions, including snow skiing in the Colorado Rockies, golf, and Oklahoma football and basketball. But his real passion was music. At the early age of 12, Darrell began collecting vinyl record albums and 45’s. Every week, he took his $1.00 allowance from his Nanny and went straight to the record store to buy the latest record. When CDs came out in 1983 he stopped collecting vinyl and began an extensive CD collection. With the help of the internet, Darrell spent many hours researching the value of his vinyl records, an activity he enjoyed very much. As music changed through the years his favorite saying was “All the good music has already been made.” He had most of it.
On September 29, 1995, Darrell married the love of his life, Karen Koch. They wed in Las Vegas, Nevada with family and friends in attendance. Their 28-year marriage continued to revolve around time with family and friends, enjoying family dinners, fun times at Lake Eufaula along with the peacefulness of sitting under the big oak tree, traveling with their friends, Jerry and Anne Garcia, to the back roads of Colorado or road trips to OU football games, and visiting his brother Larry and his wife Linda in Delaware.
Darrell was preceded in death by his parents and one niece. He is survived by his wife, Karen; his son, Hayden Manuel of Kansas City, MO; stepsons, Eric Helt and wife LeAnn of Piedmont, OK and John Baker and wife Leigh Ellen of Piedmont, OK; granddaughter, Kaitlyn Francis and husband Clint and great-granddaughter, Kora Rose of Piedmont, OK; granddaughter, Caroline Baker and fiancé Sam Dent of Oklahoma City, OK; brother, Larry Manuel and wife Linda of Bear, Delaware; and brother-in-law, Dale Schoeling and wife Jamie of Edmond, OK; along with three nieces, one nephew and eight great-nieces and greatnephews.
Viewing will be Friday, December 29 from 9am-8pm with family present from 6-8pm. Funeral services will be at 11:00am on Saturday, December 30 at Mercer-Adams Chapel with interment to follow in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Okarche, OK.
