Darreld K. "D.K." Calkins, 87, of Stillwater, Okla., passed away on Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009, in Stillwater. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday Sept. 12, 2009, at Strode Funeral Home Chapel, with burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Darreld was born on Oct. 8, 1921, in Stillwater, to E. R. "Ross" Calkins and Leora Kenyon Calkins. He was raised on the Calkins family farm near Perkins, Okla. 

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served in the Air Force for 24 years as a pilot, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. While in the military he served in World War II and the Korean War.

He was married to Marilyn Kibbe of Wichita, Kan., for 31 years and they had three sons. 

Following her death, he married Lois Rader (Rains) of Stillwater and they were married for 32 years. 

In addition to being a pilot, he taught Air Force ROTC in Florence, S.C., at Wilson High School. He also worked as a consultant and a counselor before retiring in Ft. Myers, Fla. He and his family have lived all over the United States.

He enjoyed reading, traveling, and took his families on numerous trips and was also an avid golfer and quite the storyteller. 

D. K. was preceded in death by his parents, two wives, brother A. H. "Bud" Calkins and sister Wava Compton.

He is survived by his three sons, Ken and his wife Patricia Calkins, Gregg Calkins and Cary Calkins. He is also survived by eight step-children, Corky, Dan, Sam, Randy, Kevin and Tammy Rains, Cindy Friedemann and Teresa Axton. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.
Published in the Stillwater NewsPress on 9/10/2009