Darryl L. Seiwell

Darryl L. Seiwell

Darryl L. Seiwell, 75, of Lake Hauto, entered into eternal rest Friday, June 21, 2024, in the St. Luke's Hospital, Miners Campus, Coaldale. He was the husband of Donna Marie (Smith) Seiwell. They celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on Nov. 30, 2023. He was the best dad in the world to Hallie and Heidi.

Born in Palmerton, Darryl grew up in Lehighton as a son of the late Donald H. Seiwell and the late Faye (Snyder) Seiwell Carrigan and brother to Denny and Paula.

He was a graduate of Lehighton Area High School, Class of 1966, and Mansfield University, Class of 1970.

He was a member of St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church, Nesquehoning, where he was a cantor.

Darryl was a beloved teacher and mentor. After beginning at Tunkhannock School District, he spent his career in education as a music and chorus teacher and band director for the Jim Thorpe Area School District for over 30 years until his retirement in 2004. He was loved by his students and colleagues, and he loved them back. He changed countless lives through his teaching with his intelligence, humor, kindness, knowledge and passion. He also inspired his wife and children to become educators.

Darryl was an incredibly-talented musician. He could play just about anything, but loved playing trumpet, saxophone, piano and drums the most. He also was a beautiful singer, and his family is lucky to have many recordings of him. He played and sang in bands for most of his life. People loved seeing and hearing Darryl in bands like Angie and the Strangers, The Chords, Thrill and Becky and the Beasts. With Becky and the Beasts, Darryl played an array of brass and woodwinds, making any song even better. He also sang backup vocals and even helped on keyboard sometimes. "Mustang Sally" and "With a Little Help From My Friends" were two of his signature songs as lead vocalist.

Darryl loved the Philadelphia Eagles, Sixers and Phillies. He watched Super Bowl 52 with his daughters and got to see the Eagles finally bring home the Lombardi Trophy. He, Heidi and Donna loved to cheer on the Sixers together.

Darryl was also a prodigious reader and especially loved reading novels from Harlan Coben, Lee Child, Tom Clancy and John Grisham. He loved watching Seinfeld, cooking shows and almost anything on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.

He was known to his friends and students as Big Chief, Sei and Doc. He loved being at Lake Hauto with the beach crew and loved spending time at the Coffee Shop with his in-laws, Guy and Julia Smith. He was funny, kind, talented and smart. Everyone who knew him loved him.

Surviving along with his wife Donna are daughters, Hallie Seiwell and Heidi Seiwell, of Lake Hauto, and their beloved pup Carly; a sister, Paula Blose, wife of Rodney, of Pittsburgh; a brother, Dennis "Denny" Seiwell, husband of Monique, of Woodland Hills, CA; a sister-in-law, Virginia Smith Steigerwalt and husband, Edgar, of Nesquehoning; the Beach Crew; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was also preceded in death by many wonderful friends, family and pets, who have no doubt welcomed him with hugs, kisses and cheesesteaks.

Service: Office of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 28 at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, 141 W. High St., Nesquehoning, with Father Scott Boghossian officiating. Interment will be at the parish cemetery, Nesquehoning. Call 6-8 p.m. Thursday and 10-10:30 a.m. Friday at the Joseph S. Blazosky Funeral Home, 81 E. Catawissa St., Nesquehoning. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be made to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church or the Eagles Charitable Foundation, www.eaglescharitablefoundation.org. Online condolences can be offered at www.blazoskyfh.com.