Darrel Charles Roberts passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Friday, March 6, 2026, following a brief battle with brain cancer.

He was an extraordinary man: a retired Major who served his country across three branches of the military. He passed one of the most demanding diving schools the military offers, served in Special Forces (Green Berets) during the Vietnam War — where he survived a plane crash — and completed hundreds of parachute jumps throughout his career.

He was defined by discipline, strength, and character. If there is one word that captures who he was, it’s this: tough.

Darrel filled many roles in his life — as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many. But above all, he was most proud of the relationships he built and the family he loved so deeply. To us, he is someone we admire — a man who showed his love quietly through his strength, steadiness, and presence in our lives.

In his final days, we sat with him, held his hand, and shared stories and secrets. We are incredibly proud to be his family and deeply grateful for every moment we had with him.

We want to extend our sincere appreciation to the staff at Presbyterian Hospital who cared for him during the time he spent there, and to the many people who took the time to sit with us and listen as we shared stories about him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Special Forces Foundation (https://specialforcesfoundation.org) or charities focused on Brain Cancer research such as the American Brain Tumor Association (https://www.abta.org/) or the Glioblastoma Research Organization (https://www.gbmresearch.org/).