Vernon Darrel Seats, 75, resident of Deming, passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at his home. He was born in Mountain Home, Arkansas, where he set high school records in track which were not broken for more than 20 years. Darrel made the mountains of New Mexico his home, raising five children here, after choosing to bring his family in the early 1980s. Darrel loved bringing his kids into the surrounding mountains on picnics, day hikes, and camping trips. He drove in the rain with his older daughter, wound along one-lane switchbacks in tanker trucks with his younger daughter, hiked Cooke’s Peak with his twin sons, and climbed the Florida’s Needle’s Eye with his oldest son, along with climbing over and around countless mountains of New Mexico and Arizona, both visible and invisible from Deming.
Darrel held many jobs, coming out West to leave behind a management position at a retailer to become a core driller, camping and sampling from all over the Southwestern ranges. Moving closer to home as his number of children increased, Darrel became a welder and a mechanic. He kept samples from places all over our mountains, and passed them on to his children, just as he made gifts of little side welding projects. He was a Mason since 1995, always understanding that stories were told in the stones above and below the ground.
Darrel enjoyed spending time and laughing with his family from working on crossword puzzles, watching old movies, and reading anything he could get his hands on. He had a kind word for everyone and tried to make everyone feel comfortable, as all his in-laws and the many friends of his children and grandchildren can attest.
He is survived by his brother, Dennis Seats (Deana); his sister, Jackie Hampton (Palo); as well as his five beloved children, Terry Seats and Debbie Seats, Lisa LoPresti (Charles), Meisha Sedrel (Drew), Kris Seats (Callie), and Kasey Seats (Ariana). He brimmed with pride over his grandchildren Heather Lutz (Jack), Teresa, Katelyn, Tristan, Aubrie, Payton, and Brandon Seats, Lauren and Daniel LoPresti, Cara Giaccone (Salvino), Mya Willis, Darrel and Mara Sedrel, and Richard and Bradley Paul. He was thrilled to have welcomed his first great-grandchild Luca LoPresti, and was anxiously awaiting the birth of Sofia Giaccone, his second at the time of his passing. He spent his last night on Earth as he would have wanted, “learning” how to play checkers from his grandson, Brandon.
Darrel is preceded in death by his beloved wife of more than fifty years, Cathy, and three of his brothers, Danny Seats and Roy and Ray Giboney.
Pallbearers will be his sons, Kasey, Kris, and Terry Seats, his grandsons, Darrel Sedrel and Tristan Seats, and his best friend of fifty years, “Junior” Ogier.
Services and burial will be held at Mountain View Cemetery on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 3:00 pm with reception to follow. Those wishing to join the funeral procession should gather at Baca’s Funeral Chapels at 2:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, Darrel’s family requests that memorial contributions be made to homesforveterans.us (95%, Four Star Charity Navigator Rating), by donating to a cause of your choice, by planting a tree, or visiting his beloved mountains with your loved ones.
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