10/19/2026
Darrel Smith was born May 14, 1944 to John Wesley Smith and Hattie Edge. He left this earth and entered into his heavenly home October 17, 2026 at 82 years of age.
Darrel grew up in Binger, Oklahoma with many brothers and sisters. He attended Binger High School, where he excelled as a baseball and basketball player. In 1957, he met the love of his life, Lana Dean Hodge. Both Darrel and Lana agree that their first meeting was truly love at first sight. According to Darrel, the moment Lana saw him, she couldn’t help falling head over heels in love.
Darrel and Lana were married on November 9, 1960. They made their home in Binger, where they had five children: Darrel Dean, Belinda, Christine, Amber and Lesley. Darrel taught his children how to work hard and to vigorously pursue the goals they set in their lives. He spent many hours in the gym playing basketball with his girls, teaching Belinda, Christine and Amber how to play the game they grew to love. He taught Darrel Dean and Lesley how to shoot a gun and how to play the game of baseball. Darrel was a hands-on dad who instilled the value of hard work to all his children. He was tough, but he was always the biggest fan of his children and family.
Darrel’s work ethic was demonstrated in his professional life as well. In his early life, he worked many different jobs doing whatever it took to provide for his family. Later, he owned his own business, opening Binger Plumbing and Electric in 1972. He was known to do solid, dependable work for his customers, with almost everyone in the area utilizing his services for over five decades. He also provided backhoe services for many years for Turner Funeral Home and the Binger community. He was proud to be a Caddo Indian, and he used his skills to help the tribe in any way that he could. Darrel was accomplished in many skills and lived by the idea that if the sun was shining, there was always work to be done.
Darrel was a man of many talents. When he was young, he wanted to learn to fly an airplane. Unbeknownst to many, he did accomplish this dream. Darrel loved to rope and ride, so he and his family built an arena on his place. They used it to host the Binger Open Rodeo every September. He employed his entire family to work the rodeo, assigning them tasks like running the concession stand, painting the grandstand, and helping care for the livestock. The rodeo started as a dream, but with hard work, commitment and Darrel’s leadership, it eventually became reality, drawing hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country to his humble home arena. The Smith family holds these rodeo memories as some of their most cherished because they provided the opportunity to help him bring his dream to life. He was good at everything he did- he was an excellent team roper, winning many buckles with his friends Finus Oliphant, Oak Williams, Darrel Radacy and many others. Becoming an excellent roper came as no surprise to those who knew Darrel, as he excelled in many sports. In high school, he could hit a baseball over the trees behind the center field wall, then turn around and strike anyone out the next inning. When he picked up a set of golf clubs, he realized he could suddenly golf. He could shoot a gun, beat you in checkers, build a house, fly a plane, settle an argument with one word or less, and make you laugh so hard you could barely breathe. He was magic.
Nobody knows exactly when, but in the 1990s, the Smiths started playing sock ball at almost every family gathering. Sock ball was a game invented by Darrel that was very similar to baseball, but played with a pair of socks that Maw Maw had sewn together, with rules that were ever-changing and curiously always favoring Darrel. He was a world- class cheater at sock ball- if you were on his team, you were guaranteed the win. If you weren’t, it didn’t matter how many home runs your team hit- when it counted, you could be sure they were foul balls. He would tackle his own grandchildren on their way to first base to get an out. He was ruthless, hilarious and absolutely all-in when he played the game. And if you argued with his calls, he lovingly heckled you into submission.
His greatest talent was teaching his family how to love one another- through the good times and the bad. He loved Lana with all of his heart and it showed in everything he did. He loved his children and grandchildren, providing tough correction when needed but always more support than anyone could ever deserve. He had a constant twinkle in his eye and chronic orneriness in his heart. He was our leader, our Paw Paw, our foundation. Words cannot describe how much we will miss him, but also cannot express how comforting it is to know that he is reunited with his son and daughter, whom he loved and missed with all of his heart. They are together again, waiting for all of us to join them for a cup of coffee on the front porch in Heaven. Until then, we will get back to work- like Paw Paw always said- the daylight demands it.
Darrel survived by his wife of 65 years, Lana Smith; his children, Belinda Chalfant and husband Tim, Amber Wilson and husband Kirk, and Lesley Smith and wife Kim, along with grandchildren, Ashlie Smith, Tyler Smith, Braden Noah, Sarah Allen, Luke Chalfant, Ramsye Mitchell, Hannah Reading, Brand Wilson, and Kendal and Kenady Smith. He’s also survived by his great-grandchildren Noah, Talon, Tadon, Huntleigh, Brazen, Landry, Brett, Blake, Harper, Hazin, and Nora, and his honorary son, Joseph Smith. He was preceded in death by his son Darrel Dean and daughter Christine.
Services will be held Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 10:00 AM at the Binger Baptist Church. The Smith family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the many friends who offered love, prayers and support through this very difficult time.
