Darwin Blair Passey

Darwin Blair Passey, 71, of Rigby, Idaho, passed away Monday, November 17, 2025, at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Darwin was born July 11, 1954, at Rigby Maternity Home. He was a beautiful baby born with dark brown hair and big brown eyes. A second son, to Floyd Kay and Melba Joy (Briggs) Passey. A brother to Randy Kay and Blane Leon.

Later, he was given the nickname, “PUCK” from his brother Randy, who was Darwin’s hero.

Darwin was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Growing up in the Lewisville, Idaho area, where he had wonderful memories of his family, friends, and neighbors. He shared most of his time with his two brothers swimming in the canal, doing chores, raising pets, hunting, fishing, birthdays, and holidays.

Every summer they rode their horses with their matching western shirts and cowboy hats in the Menan and Rigby parades, always waving to the crowd.

Darwin went to Midway Jr. High and graduated from Rigby High School. He rode in the Jefferson County Jr. Posse, learning the drill and competing in all the events. He was a member of the Rigby High School Rodeo Team. He rode Saddle Bronc, bareback and bulls, winning a rein set and getting a hard luck belt buckle for breaking his ankle. He earned a spot to compete in the State Saddle Bronc.

After high school, He participated in the Idaho Professional Rodeo Associations in bareback and partnered up with other cowboys in Team Roping and Bulldogging. He joined the Idaho Roper’s Association and was a long time, Team Roper. He loved being the Header and setting up the steers for the Heeler’s shot. He would teach whoever was interested the pros and cons of handling a lariat, making a loop and throwing a lasso.

He was a member of the National Cutter Association. Darwin and his friend’s cutter team had to look their best and be ready to run when he took the reins. He especially liked winning his dad and brother. But going to World Cutter Racing Championship with their team held at Pocatello and Ogden was a dream come true.

He loved to scuba dive, water ski, golf, and dance, but packing his horses and riding in the mountains was his favorite pastime. He really liked the Medicine Lodge area, he enjoyed out by Leadore, on the Devil Staircase trail or up in the vast White Cloud Wilderness. Fall was his best season. That meant one week of vacation time to ride and hunt in the Salmon, Eight mile and Gibsonville Region. Sometimes his directions would change, and he would head toward Palisades to ride into Bear Creek.

Something about daybreak, the cold mornings, the crisp snow and the forest sounds, captured his heart. He had a good eye, the best rifle money could buy, and was a skilled marksman, easily spotting the game and getting his shot off. Most of the time-sharing bragging rights around the campfire that night.

His favorite saying was, “I’d hate to be up in sheep camp with that guy.” Darwin was usually quiet, standing back in a crowd and listening to others. He preferred to be alone, and do his own thing, but if it came to push and shove, he gave his opinion, like it or not.

October 4, 2013, he stopped, cold turkey, a three-pack smoking habit. Which he was very proud of. He hated to be late to anything. His theory was, “if you’re not there a half hour early, your late.”

Darwins Pride and Joy were his light blue and white barn and corrals. There was a place for everything, and everything had its place. He spent hours out there taking care of his horses, breaking colts, bandaging legs, floating teeth and helping others do theirs. It wasn’t anything for him to help a friend herd their cattle, birth their calves, brand and vaccinate. He was a good hand, wasn’t afraid of long hours, cold weather and hard work.

This summer in early mornings, if he wasn’t too tired, he would push his walker out to the barn area just to sit. The quietness of his yard and breeze through the trees was his oasis.

Darwin was a professional painter. At eleven he started sanding and scraping in his father’s painting business. Eventually picking up a paint brush and learning the trade. As he got older, he had his own clientele. Taking pride and satisfaction in doing his best. He painted a lot of homes and businesses in the area. Sometimes he even traded work for things he wanted or his dad needed, like the boat trailer, it was taken out every time Blake and Sharon came from Utah. The four spent hours fishing on the Ririe and Ashton Reservoirs, sharing good times and bragging who caught the biggest fish.

Darwin was employed at Idahoan Foods for over 37 years. He drove a forklift and was in shipping, making many friends.

He married Jody L Herlad, September1, 1987, they later divorced.

Darwin was an excellent cook, learning from his mother. He used his crock pot, pressure cooker, pots and pans better than most women. He was famous for his shrimp salads, but his Sunday morning breakfast of hash browns, toast bacon and eggs or his large loader omelet is what he liked to cook and eat.

January 2021 his health started failing. Darwin was in and out of the hospital hundreds of times, had several surgeries, many tests, lots of procedures and some ambulance rides. He had two Endotracheal Intubations, plus everything else you can think of, doctors and nurses said he was a walking miracle. Not many survived what he went through and lived to tell. With strong determination and lots of willpower he always went home to care for himself.

With a little coaxing he planned his own funeral and designed his own headstone. Later saying, “At least they will be done the way he wanted them.”

2025 came with more health problems. His cancer had returned. More doctor visits, hospital ins and outs, quick surgeries, infusions and respiratory issues.

He fought a hard battle. Even with everything he was going through he always took time to say hi to everyone. He remembered everybody’s name. He gave his nurses pieces of wrapped candy as a thank you, at Christmas he handed out gift cards, telling the nurses to buy lunch on him.

Every Memorial weekend he bought ten potted flowers. Making sure his family and friends in the Annis, Burton and the Sutton cemeteries had flowers on their graves.

Sincere thank you to all that treated, cared, called, texted, sent cards, meals, flowers and made a point to visit him. He was very appreciative.

Darwin is survived by his niece ChyAnne (Allen) Rasmussen, nephew Shane (Carly) Passey, sister-in-law, Cherie (Tom) Glon, Todd and Cody Hamilton, his few remaining aunts and uncles, his Jeppsen stepbrother and stepsisters, many cousins on the Briggs and Passey side and hundreds of good friends.

Darwin is preceded in death by his father, Floyd Kay Passey, his mother, Melba jo (Briggs) Jeppsen, and stepfather Ardell Jeppsen. His brothers Randy, Blake, sister-in-law, Sharon and several longtime buddies.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Eckersell Funeral Home. A visitation will be held Friday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home. The family will meet with friends prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at the Annis Little Butte Cemetery.