Darby Stirrup

Darby Patrick Stirrup

It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Darby Patrick Stirrup on June 7th, 2025. Darby was an extraordinary person-kind, curious, and deeply loved. With a dry, witty sense of humor, he had a way of making people laugh without ever cracking a smile himself.

Darby was the third child and only son of Barbara Darby Serna and Timothy Scott Stirrup. He was born October 4, 2000, in Albuquerque, NM and grew up in Corrales, where he had many close friends and spent countless sunny days at the Corrales pool. He was a proud member of Boy Scouts, where he nurtured a strong sense of independence and an obsession with the Pinewood Derby. Darby also played soccer and baseball on local teams and developed a lifelong passion for medieval battles and military history, interests that continued into adulthood. A trip to visit family in Vienna was a dream come true, giving him the chance to explore centuries-old castles and battlegrounds and immerse himself in the history he had long loved.

Darby was a dedicated student and developed an early love in science and engineering. He was deeply involved in extracurricular STEM activities at Cibola High School Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) Club and the robotics team, which became state champions in 2018 and 2019 and went on to place third in the 2019 national VEX Robotics Competition in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Cibola High School with honors in 2019. Darby continued his education at the prestigious New Mexico Institute of Technology, where he studied Mechanical Engineering and was an active member of the NMT Baja Club, competing in off-road vehicle design competitions. He received his BS degree in December 2023.

Following graduation, Darby moved to Aiken, South Carolina to build his professional career as a Shift Technical Engineer at the Savannah River Site. He supported the Saltstone Processing Facility and took pride in his work. He had the mind of an engineer and was carving out a future full of promise, purpose, and quiet determination.

Darby is survived by his mother Barbara and her partner Terry Cooper; his father Tim and his partner Kelsey Forde; sister Emily Alcorn and her husband Sean Alcorn; and sister Kerry-Ann Stirrup.

A celebration of life will be held Wednesday, June 25, 2025 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Casa Perea Art Space in Corrales, NM, followed by a reception at Village Pizza at 5:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that donations be made in his name to Epilepsy Foundation at

https://www.epilepsy.com.