Darrell "Speedy" Glen Bickel

Darrell “Speedy” Bickel died October 21, 2021, at the young age of 63, after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. He went out just the way he wanted - surrounded by his loving wife, his children, his sister, his best friend (aka his brother-in-law), and his dog and kitty cat. The only people who were not in attendance for “Batman’s” passing was his faithful butler, Alfred, and his side-kick, Robin.

He was born December 10, 1957, to Darrell and Donna (White) Bickel in Orange, Texas. That day, rumor has it, a legend was born. Shortly after his birth his family moved back to Iowa, then back to Texas, then back to Iowa, then back to Texas, and, you wouldn’t you know it, back to Iowa, where they would finally build their family life. Maybe this is where he learned to move so well from, he ended up living in 9 different states (and some more than once) across the US in his lifetime. Speedy graduated from Southeast Polk High School in 1976, but only after his parents bribed him with a trip to Hawaii and his dad paid off his English teacher.

During his younger years Speedy became a talented motocross rider, primarily in District 22 in Iowa and Nebraska. He was known as the guy who would “pin it to win it” and go all out - “balls to the wall”. His love of the sport extended beyond competing. He, his father and a dedicated group of racers would travel to New Mexico and Texas just to ride in the desert for the thrill of it.

In 1981, Speedy moved his family to Wyoming, where he found work in the oil fields. He was a ‘derrick hand’, working on the top of the oil rigs, lining up pipes. It was an extremely dangerous job. He loved to take his family camping, fishing, and exploring abandoned mines. This is where his children began inheriting his adventurous spirit. During the chilly evenings camping, peach schnapps was giving to everyone to “warm them up”, but it was really the way to get the kids to sleep! At home, Speedy built extensive gardens with intricate irrigation canals to water them. This created the perfect channel for his kids, Casey and Lia, to race paper boats.

After moving back to Iowa, Speedy began a very successful career in the trucking/transportation industry. He started as a truck driver for Mail Contractors of America, and ended up achieving the title of Senior Terminal Manager for the entire Midwest region. During this time he was also a volunteer fireman and EMT for Delaware Township. He risked life and limb to earn the nickname “Batman” after he fell through a second story floor during a housefire, unscathed. His career ended at SNL Distribution in Kansas City as an Area Manager and after only 2 years receiving the Top Terminal Award.

In 1992, he was able to purchase what he considered at that time his dream home – a lake house at Lake Panorama. He was on the Lake Panorama Ski Team for many years with his daughter and son. This sparked an intense competition between Casey and Speedy. He loved everything having to do with the water from boating to knee-boarding, to barefoot skiing, but he thought of jet skis as gnats. If you didn’t have a real boat, you needed to stay off the water!

In 2008, Speedy started to date the woman who would become the love of his life. Speedy would tell Annie he was going to marry her someday, and her response every time was, “Yeah right, when pigs fly.” Undeterred, he proposed to her on July 4th of 2009, and after her saying “YES!” the sky lit up with fireworks, a true sign their marriage would be one for the books.

On December 8, 2009, Speedy and Annie were united in marriage in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. And on this day the Bickel Bunch was created; a family of 3 and a family of 4 became one family seamlessly. Speedy and Annie’s life together was an adventure from beginning to the end. The two love birds traveled visiting 28 states; Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and New York and 6 countries; Jamaica, Haiti, Mexico, Cayman Islands, St. Maarten Island and the Bahamas. They loved to camp in the mountains and go four wheeling in the desert. While camping his passion for cast iron cooking came to light and “Speedy Flay” was born. The two also loved to watch NASCAR and dirt bike racing together both on TV and traveling to many races together. Speedy and Annie were always rooting for different drivers, which made race days a little more exciting.

New Year’s Eve was his favorite holiday. To ring in the New Year, Speedy, Annie, his sister Jackie and brother-in-law Dave would travel to a new destination every year. The family bond that was forged and the memories that were made are irreplaceable and will live in the hearts of Annie, Jackie and Dave always.

His love of family inspired him to host the cousins’ trip in Arkansas with the White Family. On one such trip, the entire clan went to a Subway Sandwich Shop where one poor employee was there on her own. Speedy convinced her that he was a part of the Undercover Boss television show and managed to talk his way behind the counter, making sandwiches for all his family… We have reached out to Subway’s Corporate Office to let them know they can throw out the banned for life file they had on him.

Those left to forever remember and love him are his wife, Annette "Annie"; mother, Donna Johnston; children, Lia (Joe) Modde, Casey (Tiffany) Bickel, Whitney (Jim) Anderson, Matt Weaver and Jen (Marvin) Bacon; grandchildren, Collin, Makayla (Sean), Makenna, Adalissa, Kyanne, Haylie, Jayden, Jaidra, Dakota, Grace and Grayson; great-grandson, Easton; sister, Jackie (Dave) O’Neal; step-siblings, Lynnette (Maestro) Williamson, Rick Brose, Randy Brose and Sandy Blackford; brothers-in-law, John (Susie) Hall and Wayne (Jolene) Hall; and an abundance of other loving family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Darrell “Pete” Bickel; step-mother, Marilyn Bickel; brother, Scott Bickel; step-father, Andy Johnston; mother-in-law, Darlene Hall; and brother-in-law, David Hall.

A celebration of Speedy’s life will be held at 6:00 pm, October 30, 2021 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines Iowa. To view the service on Facebook Live, please add “Speedy Bickel”. Visitation will be prior to the celebration from 4:30 – 6:00 pm also at the funeral home. Burial will occur Sunday, October 31, 2012, 10:30 am at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Orilla Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Kindred Hospice of Kansas City or Dream Foundation in loving memory of Speedy.

The family has contacted The Minnesota Viking’s head coach, Mike Zimmer to request that 6 of his linemen attend the service and act as pallbearers – so they can let him down one last time…… Coach Zimmer has yet to respond.

Masks are based upon your choice and personal comfort level.

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