Erick Christopher Darrow, 49, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.
He was born on July 6, 1972 in the Panama Canal Zone to John Darrow and Ann Michele Guest of Cadillac. Erick moved to Traverse City with his mother as a young child and stayed there for the remainder of his days.
He graduated from Traverse City High School in 1991 and then attended Northwestern Michigan College. Erick has worked in the hospitality industry for many years at hotels such as the Bayshore Resort, Grand Traverse Resort and Pinestead Reef. He was also employed at Munson Medical Center for many years.
In 1997, Erick met his beloved wife Julia Smith while working at Family Video. They married on December 7, 2002. They welcomed son Aiden in 2004 and Evelyn in 2007.
Erick had many interests in life. He was into photography, enjoyed camping and collecting t-shirts for all the things he loved. He loved animals and supported conservation efforts for many organizations. Erick was particularly fond of turtles. He loved the Detroit Tigers and tried attending family games every summer. He owned many of the Tigers’ baseball caps and has rarely been seen without them in recent years. He was an avid reader of spy novels, fantasy and graphic novels, particularly Batman.
His real passions in life were family, friends, and music. Erick was a devoted family man. He loved being a father and often said it was his greatest role in life. He was very involved in the lives of his children and made it his life’s work to raise them. He never missed a dentist appointment or a school performance. Erick was most proud of the personalities his children became. Being friends with Erick was special. He made friends everywhere he went because he was so down to earth and easy to talk to. He knew how to feel important and was an excellent listener. Most of the time he spent listening to music and Erick loved to share songs or musicians with anyone who was interested. He had a very specific taste and was loyal to artists who captured his heart. He collected records and over the years attended many shows for bands he loved.
Survivors of Erick are his wife Julia Darrow (Smith); Children Aiden and Evelyn Darrow; Parents, John (Ann) Darrow, Michele Guest; Siblings, Nathan (Vicki) Felton and Benjamin (Jenn) Bell; In-laws, Charles (Janice) Mackey, Clayton (Lynn) Smith, Jessie Smith, Heather Mackey, Jackson Mackey; Nieces and nephews, Phoebe, Logan, Jacob, Noah, Korbin, Braeden, Elliana, Maggie, Hunter, Jordan, Charleigh and Brayleigh.
Erick is preceded in death by his grandparents Kenneth (Ida) Darrow, Terry (Happy) Guest, James (Helen) Rutledge; Father-in-law Clayton Smith and Uncle Michael Guest and Matthew Guest.
The Darrow family would like to thank the staff of the Cowell Family Cancer Center and the Hospice of Michigan for the exceptional care Erick gave during his battle with cancer. The warmth and friendliness that he experienced during this time will remain unforgettable.
Contributions can be made to the TBA Credit Union on behalf of Erick’s children.
A service is scheduled for September 29 at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Traverse City. Lunch follows at 1 p.m.
Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to share memories and condolences.
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