Obituary of Darrin D. Martindale

Darrin Dewitt Martindale (6/2/89-10/15/23) Father, husband, son, brother, relative, friend, angler, hunter, farmer. Darrin, Milt, Marty, Dimebag, Dynamite, Darryl. The man of many names. The man that was larger than life. The man that lived life with the gas pedal floored, wide open. The man that lived three lives within his one. Darrin Dewitt Martindale was welcomed with open arms to the glistening sun, falling leaves, and wide open fields; a place that is his type of heaven. While unexpected, he passed away on a beautiful fall morning, surrounded by trees, nature, and quiet. Darrin was born on June 2, 1989 to his loving and faithful parents, Greg and Bonnie Martindale. The love his father and mother had for Darrin was indescribable. Bonnie with her consistent and unwavering love and Greg with his fishing and hunting adventures, even with a few snags along the way. Darrin is also survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Leigh Martindale, and their sons, Morrissey James (MJ) and Walker Dewitt. His beautiful sister, Danielle Whittaker, her husband, Nate Whittaker, and his sweet niece, Shae Whittaker, were also a huge light in Darrin's life. Darrin and Danielle shared many great memories together, including riding in the back of Dad's truck to dirt races, the many family camping trips with a few sibling disagreements, and Dani consistently shooting bigger bucks than her older brother. Darrin became part of a bigger family when he fell in love with the Morrissey crew – his father and mother-in-law, Kevin and Liz Morrissey, and his extended sisters and brothers; Keaghlan and Corey Bradley and his other sweet niece, Maeve Bradley, Erin and Brendan Chin, and Shannon and John Carroll. Also, Darrin is predeceased by his grandfather, Harold Martindale, and survived by his loving grandmother, Thelma Martindale, and adoring grandparents, Richard and Sherry Palmatier. Darrin had too many friends to fit on one page, but his nursery school buddy Ryan Tuttle, affectionately known as Tut, was his partner, his sounding board, best man, and best friend. Through his years, Darrin had an innate ability to push the limits. Whether it was stealing a gradebook, hiding a remote, getting a technical or two, harvesting an illegal deer, keeping fish of a questionable size, sinking a motorized vehicle, or just plain being himself, Darrin did it all with a smile and dimples you couldn't possibly get mad at. A phenomenal athlete and state champion, Darrin was a bull on the basketball court. His tenacity and natural ability were as he described, GOAT. An avid hunter and fisherman, there was no jig, rappala, or hunting accessory he didn't have. In fact, Amazon may go out of business without the ordering frenzy of Darrin Martindale. Darrin had a circle of friends that would span three states wide and many years. From his hometown of Sidney, NY, to Canandaigua adventures, to Idaho lineschool, to his New Hampshire family, to the circle of the Bainbridge Idiotheads and MMHC, there was no one that Darrin came across that couldn't help but laugh and smile with him. The energy Darrin exuded was unmatched. His energy shifted a bit when he met the love of his life, his wife, Leigh Martindale. With a four-wheeler in the back of his truck, his sweet grin, and big dimples, Leigh knew she had met the person that would make their lives complete. They had a love that movies are made of, once in a lifetime; honest, full, and precious. In 2018, Darrin and Leigh wed in what's been labeled as one of the best weddings and welcomed two beautiful sons, Morrissey James (MJ) in 2019 and Walker Dewitt in 2022. Darrin's boys and wife were the light of his life and all of his wild energy went into making their time on this Earth a better place. From his farming and harvesting, to fixing toys, to tucking his sweet boys in every night, his legacy will be forever embedded in their personalities and sweet smiles. One of the people closest to Darrin said, "Darrin loved like no other guy I knew. He touched people differently, his hugs were different. His kisses on the cheek were different. He held his kids different. He had the biggest heart. I always wanted to be like him…" So, to all of you reading this, do that – be more like Darrin; live raw, unfiltered, gas pedal floored. Life is meant to be lived, not wasted. And remember, "if you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special…" Darrin did just this. Calling hours will be held at C.H. Landers Funeral Home in Sidney, NY on Sunday, October 22 from 1 PM – 5 PM. A service will be held on Monday, October 23 at 11 AM at the Sidney Elks Club in Sidney, NY with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the boys (Morrissey and Walker's) educational funds through Sidney Federal Credit Union. A portion will also be donated to the Lyme Laser Centers of New England in memory of Darrin.