Kermit Darr

WINCHESTER Kermit Richard Darr, 89, departed this life on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at St. Thomas Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tenn.He was born on March 31, 1924 in New Bedford, Ohio to the late Floyd and Celesta Levengood Darr.Kermit was a 1942 graduate of Baltic High School and was a member of the United States Air Force during World War II from 1943 to 1946, serving as a flight engineer on the B-29. Following military service, he started in the Rockwell Corporation as a tool-maker in Newark, Ohio. He achieved a rapid rise within the company to general foreman, and then assistant general manager. This led to a transfer to the Winchester, Ky., plant as assistant general manager, and then to the Tilbury, Ontario as the general plant manager. His final years with Rockwell Corporation were spent in Troy, Mich., where he retired in 1982 after 31 years.In addition to his career, Kermit was passionate about aviation and music. He owned several private planes and actively flew until the 1980s. His love for music filled his home, and he even formed his own 13-piece orchestra during the "Big Band" era called the Dick Darr Orchestra.Kermit is survived by his wife of 67 years, Claudia Jevene Lockard Darr; his four children, Carol Jo Clark, of Kansas City, Mo., Richard (Leeanne) Darr, of Nashville, Timothy (Michelle) Darr, of Hillsboro, Tenn., and Michael (Julie) Darr of Celebration, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Christy (Chad) Pulley, Evan Darr, Richard (Jini) Darr, David (Angie) Darr, Andrew (Mary) Darr, Spencer Darr, Cameron Darr and Alexandria Jevene Darr; two stepgrandchildren, Patricia (Keith) Neal and David (Belinda) Grant; four great-grandchildren, Meryn Pulley, Chase Pulley, Issak Darr, Jack Darr; and four stepgreat-grandchildren, Estella Thornton, Karly Neal, Kirsten Neal, Neyland Grant and Norah Grant.Two funeral services will be held, the first on Saturday Aug. 3, at 11 a.m. CDT from the Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Winchester, Tenn. Visitation will be 9 to time of service on Saturday.The second Funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. from the Miller Funeral Home in Coshocton, Ohio.Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Monday.Burial will follow the Ohio service at West Lawn Cemetery, Newcomerstown, with the Newcomerstown Veterans Council performing military honors.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.