Darrell Locklin was born February 21, 1934, and grew up in West Seattle, graduating from West Seattle High School in 1952. He entered the army in 1956, and was stationed at Killeen Base in Texas, where he earned commendations for scholastic achievement and finishing first in his class in special weapons training (despite a life-long dislike of guns). And he met Katherine Kelly.
They married in 1958, and returned to Seattle, bought a house in 1964, and settled in to raise a family, and where they lived until his death. He put many hours and even years into improving the house.
In 1970 he graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in social work and went to work for the Department of Social and Health Services. He transferred to the Department of Corrections and became a probation and parole officer. In 1984 he moved to Reynolds Work Release (a transition facility for offenders re-entering the community), and retired 1995, completing a 20+-year career in social and public service.
Along the way, he earned his pilot’s license, logged many hours of small craft flight around the Puget Sound and Cascade mountain areas, took up ballroom dancing, and developed a liking for cruise ships. He and Kathy sailed to dozens of destinations around the Caribbean, South America (including going around Cape Horn and through the Panama Canal), and Europe (where they went to Checkpoint Charlie and Red Square), during which they danced the night away, a favorite pass-time for Friday nights here, right up to the Friday before his death.
He was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis in June, and died October 6. He is survived by wife Kathy, son Kelly, daughter Laura Kirkland, and her husband Douglas. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested in his name to Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org)