Darrin Green

Darrin passed away peacefully, with his wife by his side, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Darrin was born to Eric and Brenda Green (Baldwin) in Derby, England on 19 January 1965.

On 11 October 1966, Darrin emigrated to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, aboard the ship “The Empress of England,” with his parents and brothers Kevin and David. After a long bus ride, and a three week stay in hotels, the family settled in Kitchener, Ontario. The family endured just one epic Canadian winter, with more snow than they’d ever seen in their lives. On July 4th, 1967, the family was rescued by Brenda’s sister, Margaret, who lived in Ames, Iowa. Auntie Margaret and her husband picked them up in Detroit, Michigan. Darrin’s family lived with their family for a few weeks until they rented their first home in Ames. The family made Ames their home for many years to come.

Darrin graduated from Ames High School in 1983. He always loved sports growing up, which had begun with soccer, ice skating, and baseball. Darrin played hockey on his high school varsity hockey team, and continued playing on pickup teams into his 40’s in the Twin Ports. His hockey career later came to end with a knee injury. After high school Darrin had attended both Iowa State University and DMACC. He received his AA degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician in 1992 and he became board certified a short time later. Darrin served in the Army Reserves at Ft. DSM from January of 1993 until August of 2020.

Darrin became a naturalized citizen of the USA 12/1/1995.

Darrin and Bonnie met at the Emergency Residence Project in April of 1989, when Bonnie and a friend volunteered there to cook a meal. Darrin was an employee and Bonnie’s friend said Bonnie shouldn’t miss cooking that meal because, “The cutest little guy works there.” The rest was history.

Darrin and Bonnie were married on August 3rd, 1991. They lived in Ames for a number of years while Darrin worked in Chemical Manufacturing QC and Bonnie furthered her education. Bonnie and Darrin then moved to the Northland – Duluth/Superior for a water testing laboratory job for Darrin. The job market faltered, and he resumed work caring for others in group homes for the developmentally disabled.

Darrin bought his first drum kit of many while living in Duluth and he played in several bands, playing gigs at several places in and around the Twin Ports and Hinkley, MN.

Darrin was diagnosed with a major, chronic health condition while living in the northland. Darrin prayed for healing and walked the barefoot mile, on a cold rainy day, at the Catholic Shrine to Mary in Walsingham, Unites Kingdom. He also made a pilgrimage to the only Marian sighting in the USA, ‘Our Lady of Champion’ north of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Darrin saw a crucifix-shaped cross in the clouds for several minutes, however healing was not granted. He never understood why some are granted healing, and not him. In 2013, Darrin convinced Bonnie to leave behind her precious Lake Superior to return to Des Moines where she was born and raised, and still had family. He did not want to leave Bonnie alone in the frozen tundra that was Duluth. Since that time, Bonnie has developed a wonderful and supportive group of friends, mostly through the yoga community and a reconnection with old friends.

Darrin patterned his life after his grandfather, Frank Green, who had a large garden in Derby, England and gave away vegetables to family and friends. He was a very generous person, giving as much as he could afford to the homeless. Or Darrin would see someone who needed drum equipment or a car and sell it for less than he had paid – just to help them out.

As Darrin’s health faltered, he was accepted as a patient at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Although he often left his appointments with more bad news, Mayo was the spark of hope that could have burned out long ago. Darrin had said that he wanted to keep fighting as hard as he could until there was no hope at all. Until just two weeks prior to his death, he was still determined to make it to Mayo for one more week of testing. Then his amazing doctor, Kimberly Watt, let Darrin know that further treatment was not possible. He was then served by Unity Point Hospice for his last week, until finally succumbing to his complex medical conditions.

Darrin is survived by his wife, Bonnie Green; his older brother, Kevin Green; his niece, Jen; and his nephews, Jonathan, Daniel, Dustin, and Zach.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Eric and Brenda Green; his step-mother, Betty Green; his sister, Linzi; and his brother, David.

Family will be greeting friends on Saturday, May 11, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home; 5400 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa. A memorial prayer service will follow the visitation at 2:00 p.m. A memorial mass will be held on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5711 SW 9th Street in Des Moines.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made in memory of Darrin to Mayo Clinic to help patients with their medical expenses.
Donations can be made by phone, online or by mail:

1. Phone – Please call 1-855-852-8129 to talk with one of our Gift Processing Associates who can take their donation
securely over the telephone.

2. Online – philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/donatemc
1. Under “designate my gift to” please select “other” and type “DESIGNATION”
2. Please check “Make this donation a tribute” and indicate the gift is in memory of “NAME”.

3. Mail – Send in a check to Mayo Clinic Department of Development, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905
1. In the memo line of the check or on a separate note please indicate that the gift is “in memory of NAME”,
“for the purpose of DESIGNATION”.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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