Eddie Lee Darnell

Eddie Lee Darnell was born January 30, 1951, in Ashe County, North Carolina to the late Frank and Ruby Darnell. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ called him home on November 1, 2025, at the age of 74.

Eddie grew up on a family farm in Laurel Springs. He graduated from Ashe Central High School in 1969. He started driving a school bus right after he got his driver’s license. He had a long career of almost 40 years as an LTL local truck driver.

He lived in Rural Hall for 35 years, where he was a member of Northridge Baptist Church. After moving to Winston-Salem, he attended New Friendship Baptist Church.

He was blessed to have many close friends. After retirement he loved eating at Steven’s Restaurant twice a day catching up with friends. On Sunday’s he would have breakfast with friends at Hardee’s. He enjoyed dancing at the Midway Music Hall and going to the Midway Thunder Road Cruise In.

Eddie was preceded in death by his little brother, Johnny Darnell; two sisters, Mary Higgins and Barbara Roten; three sisters-in-law, Brenda Darnell, Kathy Darnell, and Emma Darnell; two brothers-in-law, Bobby Joe Higgins and Archie Roten. He is survived by three brothers, Bill Darnell, Bobby Darnell (Doris), and James Darnell (Shirley); five nieces, Teresa Yost (Skip), Pam Mashburn (Bill), Suzette Shelton (Mark), Traci Cornelius (David), and Julie Darnell; three nephews, Danny Higgins (Deedee), Joe Darnell (Julie), and Tony Roten (Lisa).

The funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at Hayworth-Miller Rural Hall Chapel with Pastor Chris Byrne officiating. The family will receive friends one hour before the service.

Burial will follow at Rural Hall Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to New Friendship Baptist Church, 4258 Old Lexington Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27107 or to the family cemetery at Cranberry Community Cemetery, c/o David Taylor, 30 Dan Ridge Drive, Laurel Springs, NC 28644.