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Loved ones grieve loss of Moffat County employee Darrell Snow

Lauren Blair
Darrell Snow was always one to lend a hand, and can be seen here helping a neighbor with a downed tree that was blocking access to his cabin in Wilderness Ranch. Snow was killed on the job in an accident at the Moffat County Landfill last week.
Courtesy Photo

— Craig resident Darrell Snow was known and loved for his quick wit and his kindness, and friends and family are mourning his loss after he was killed in an accident on the job last week.

A Moffat County Road & Bridge employee, 58-year-old Snow died when he was struck in the head by the rear gate of a dump truck as he was unloading snow at the Moffat County Landfill in the early hours of Dec. 22.

The news shocked loved ones, who described him as skilled, professional and very safety-conscious in his work.



“He was a true professional and that’s what makes it hard, too,” said Dan Madden, a close friend who worked with Darrell at Road & Bridge for several years. “That makes you realize how anything can happen at any time because it’s not like it was his first rodeo… Evidently heaven needed angels right then.”

Madden fought back tears to describe a man of the most honorable sort: hard-working, genuinely kind, adventurous and giving.



“Anyone that ever met him just absolutely fell in love with him. There wasn’t a mean bone in his body,” Madden said. “He truly cared about other people, I mean a lot. He’d fork out all the money he had in his wallet to a homeless person, he was just a sweet soul to every person.”

Snow left behind two adult children and his wife, Joanne, of 16 years.

Joanne also described a recent example of her late husband’s generosity.

“A couple weeks ago, we drove by this homeless guy in Grand Junction and he said, ‘Turn around, God wants me to give him money.’ So I did and he gave the guy a $20 bill,” Joanne said. “He was just a really good guy, the best. He was my best friend… He was the love of my life and vice-versa and we knew that.”

The pair just recently built a cabin on their property in Wilderness Ranch with plans to try living there year-round once Darrell retired. He was a lover of the outdoors, and spent much of his free time hunting, fishing, four-wheeling and snowmobiling.

“He really liked spending time in the woods,” Madden said. “You get him up in the mountains, and that’s where he was really at home.”

Madden spent so much time with Darrell at his place in Wilderness Ranch, in fact, that he decided to purchase a neighboring property when it came up for sale last winter. And of course, Snow was there to help when it came time to build a road into the property this summer.

Darrell’s sister, Julie Snow, who resides in Cedaredge, recalled her brother for his wit and humor.

“He was probably one of the most witty people I have ever known,” Julie said. “He had a lot of friends. People seemed to be drawn to him because of his being so funny and witty.”

The accident sent shockwaves through the Road & Bridge department, and county officials have provided counselors to help co-workers process their grief. The county will shut down for a few hours Tuesday to allow employees to attend the funeral, and the Road & Bridge department will be closed for the day, Moffat County Commissioner Chuck Grobe said.

The investigation conducted by Moffat County Sheriff’s Office has been completed and found no evidence of suspicious or criminal circumstances surrounding the death. The county is still in the process of evaluating the accident and current safety procedures to determine its response, Grobe said.

In the meantime, those who knew Darrell continue to grieve his loss.

“He had extreme integrity… He’s always worked hard his whole life,” Joanne said. “He was the most honest, decent human being I know.”

“I’m never gonna meet another person like him,” Madden said. “He’s a one of a kind guy.”

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

Contact Lauren Blair at 970-875-1795 or lblair@CraigDailyPress.com or follow her on Twitter @LaurenBNews.


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