Erick Darrow

Erick Christopher Darrow, 49, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born July 6, 1972 in the Panama Canal Zone, he was the son of John Darrow and Ann Michele Guest of Cadillac. Erick moved to Traverse City as a young child with his mother and continued to reside there the remainder of his days.

He graduated from Traverse City High School in 1991, then attended Northwestern Michigan college. Erick spent many years working in the hospitality industry 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 were married December 7, 2002. They welcomed son Aiden into the world in 2004, then Evelyn in 2007.

Erick had many interests in life. He dabbled in photography, liked to camp, and collected t-shirts for all the things he loved. He adored animals and supported conservancy efforts for many organizations. Erick was especially was fond of turtles. He loved the Detroit Tigers and tried to attend games every summer with family. He owned many Tigers baseball caps and was rarely seen without one in recent years. He was an avid reader of spy novels, fantasy, and graphic novels, especially Batman.

His real passions in life were his 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 his children’s lives and made raising them his life's work. He never missed a dentist appointment or school performance. Erick was most proud of the individuals his children were becoming. Being friends with Erick was something special. He made friends everywhere he went because he was so down to earth and easy to talk to. He knew how to make you feel important and was an excellent listener. Most of his time was spent listening to music and Erick loved to share songs or musicians with anyone interested. He had very specific taste and was loyal to artists that won his heart. He collected vinyl records and attended many shows for bands he loved over the years.

Surviving 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 Uncles Michael Guest and Matthew Guest. The Darrow family would like to thank the staff of the Cowell Family Cancer Center and Hospice of Michigan for the exceptional care of Erick during his fight with cancer. The warmth and kindness he received during that time will not be forgotten.

Contributions can be made in the name of Erick’s children at TBA Credit Union.

A service is planned at the First Christian Church in Traverse City, on September 29 at 11AM. A luncheon will follow after at 1PM.

Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to share memories and condolences.