Archie Darrell Hampton

Archie Darrell Hampton

July 22nd, 1934 – February 7th, 2024

Belton, Missouri

Archie Darrell Hampton, beloved husband, stepdad and PaPa to six step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren, passed away on February 7th, 2024 at Beautiful Savior Nursing Home in Belton, Missouri.

Darrell was born on July 22nd, 1934 in Milan, Missouri to Eleanor Riddle and Archie Hampton. After graduating Milan High School in 1952, Darrell worked on the family farm and drove large rock trucks for a nearby quarry. In 1954, Darrell entered the US Army and went to Germany as an Artillery Track Vehicle Maintenance Mechanic. He was honorably discharged in 1956 but served in the US Army Reserves until 1962. From 1960 to around 1962, Darrell also played guitar in the band The Western-Aires.

In the early 1960s, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri and worked as a Railcar Switchman in the Kansas City Stockyards. After that, he worked in office supply sales in Kansas City until he formed his own company, Hampton Sales Inc. In 1975, Darrell married Rowena “Robbie” Hampton and immediately a became stepdad to her sons, Kevin, Stu and Chris Wright.

Darrell was an avid reader of spy novels, mysteries, historical war stories and scientific discoveries. In his last years, he consumed books on tape as fast as the Wolfner Talking Books were delivered to him. His love for playing guitar started in his home back on the farm where his family and his relatives would get together regularly with guitars, fiddles and standup basses while others danced. He idolized Chet Atkins and could play like him. He bought a hollow-bodied Gretsch to be and sound like him. After retirement, Darrell took up wood carving and built wonderful relationships with the KC Wood Carvers community. He sold his pieces at the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs, KS and at many other local art fairs around Kansas City. He became involved with the Leavenworth Carousel Museum due to his good friends, Marilyn and Jerry Reinhardt and their devotion to restoring and carving replica carousel horses.

Darrell and his wife, Robbie Hampton, were long time residents at Foxwood Springs Senior Living in Raymore, Missouri, but he moved to Beautiful Savior Nursing Home in Belton, Missouri in his last years due to progressive Parkinson’s disease. We would like to thank the staff at both Fox Springs Senior Living and Beautiful Savior Nursing Home for all their love and support for Darrell over the years and St. Croix Hospice Care in his last few weeks.

Darrell was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Rowena Hampton and his stepson, Jonathan Stuart Wright.

Darrell is survived by his stepsons William Kevin Wright (Karen Wright), Christopher Alan Wright (Mary E. Kelly), his step-grandchildren Amanda Osenga (Jeremy Osenga), Jarrod Wright, Simon Wright, Max Landen (Haley Landen), Spencer Kelly-Wright and Connor Kelly-Wright. He is also survived by his step-great-grandchildren Jonathan Osenga, Wren Landen and Harold Landen.

Memorial service will be held on Tuesday 2/27/2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am at the Longview Funeral Home.

Lunch will be provided at Summit Pizza for all friends and family from 12:00pm to 2:00pm

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the organizations below:

Parkinson’s Foundation https://www.parkinson.org – Tribute Gift - you may donate in honor of Darrell. https://www.parkinson.org/reach - research funding into Parkinson’s disease.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research https://www.michaeljfox.org https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686/#!/donation/checkout - you may donate in honor of Darrell.