Darrell Lee Cross, age 61, of Ingalls Indiana, passed
away on December 5, 2010, at Regency Place of Greenfield
Indiana. Born on July 4, 1949, in Anderson Indiana,
he was the
son of Robert Lee and Jean (Bohall) Cross. Darrell
graduated
from Fortville High School and worked at Church Brothers
as an auto body technician and manager for over 20
years. He had married Carla DeMarco on February 14,
1996, in Indianapolis. He served in the U.S. Army and
received a Purple Heart for his service during the
Vietnam War.
He was also a member of the Indiana Archeological
Society and received many awards for his Native American
Artifacts. He and his buddy, Jeff Anderson, walked
many miles together finding artifacts over the years.
Darrell started collecting Indian relics at an early
age. His father gave him three exceptional slate relics
that he found while he worked at Tuttle's Orchard in
Hancock County Indiana. His father worked at the Orchard
as a laborer in exchange for room and board during
the depression of the 1930's.
Darrell attended many Indiana Archaeological Society
and the Owensboro Kentucky relic shows, showing many
of his fine relics. He won many ribbons and plaques
at these shows. Darrell was quiet and soft spoken,
known often by face by many of the shows attendees.
One of his favorite shows was the New Castle Indiana
show.
He retired from work after being injured in an auto
accident in the mid 1990's which also curbed his ability
to field hunt relics, but could not dampen his spirit
to attend relic shows or discussions on many topics
which he was interested.
Jeff met Darrell in a bean field in the early 1980s
while both were hunting Indian relics. The field, along
Lick Creek north of Ingalls, has produced some very
nice relics. They hunted together for over 20 years,
often every available day, typically hitting the road
every weekend, before sunup, and leave the field dog
tired only when the sun was setting. Often even on
holidays.
Some of the relic related columns written in which
he was mentioned and published in the Central States
Archaeological Societies journal or Indian Artifacts
Magazine are:
1) Taking
Darrell's truck out for a push CSAJ Spring 2003
2) Life
Under the Plow Zone IAM Vol 22-2
3) The
Grassy Pendant IAM Vol 19-4
4) GI
Joe
5) Tanks
You IAM Vol 17-1
6) Dog
Days IAM Vol 16-4; CSAJ Vol 45-2
7) My
First Clovis IAM Vol 16-3
Surviving him are his wife, Carla (DeMarco) Cross
of Ingalls; children, Marcelle Cross Harlow of Anderson
and Sky Lynsey Godwin Cross of Ingalls; siblings, Danny
Cross of Pendleton, Donna Mullins of Greenfield, and
Doug Cross of Greenfield; mother, Jean Bohall Cross
of Greenfield; and four grandchildren, Travis Harlow,
Cheyenne Harlow, Mikayla Harlow, and Ericksen Slate.
He was preceded in death by his father.
We are going to miss his soft voice, and his sense of humor: a friend.
