Darrell Jay Wattenbarger

August 24, 1949 - May 10, 2020

Darrell Jay Wattenbarger, age 70, of Columbia, passed away Sunday, May 10, 2020 at Boone Hospital Center, Columbia, Missouri. Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2020 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Rhodes Funeral Home, Brookfield, Mo, graveside services to follow at Park Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery with Reverend Mandy Tarpening officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Diabetes Education Program at MU Health Care, University of Missouri Advancement, 407 Reynolds Alumni Center, Columbia, MO 65211. Darrell was born August 24, 1949 in Reger, Mo to Raymond Jay and Dorothy Evelyn (McClaren) Wattenbarger. Darrell graduated from Brookfield High School in 1967 and then attended Gem City Business College in Quincy, IL graduating in 1969 with an Associate’s Degree in Accounting. Later he attended Columbia College and graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and then became a Certified Public Accountant. His entire career was spent mostly in public accounting and finance for the Cities of Blue Springs, Columbia and Jefferson City as well as the State of Missouri Auditors Office. Darrell received his private pilot’s license in 1974 and loved to fly private planes any chance he could (so much so that he continued to fly even after crashing two planes). He also enjoyed preparing taxes, spending time researching his family genealogy, working with computer hardware and software, and traveling anywhere, anytime. He is survived by his son, Brian Jay Wattenbarger and wife Krystle of Columbia, MO; two granddaughters, Brileigh May and Kenzie Marie; one brother, Larry (Donna) Wattenbarger, of Brookfield, and one sister Jan (Bill) Duvall, of Brookfield; five nieces and nephews, Paul, Jeri, Daniel, Jason and Jennifer; and close friend Norma Gritton. Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Jay Wattenbarger and Dorothy Evelyn (McClaren) Wattenbarger, his grandparents, Raymond Paul Wattenbarger and Nellie Wattenbarger, and great-grandparents, Buel McClaren and Mary McClaren.