Darren Wilkinson Durfey, beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away on October 1, 2026, in Lawton, Oklahoma, at the age of 52, after suffering many years from a long-term illness which he eventually succumbed to.

Darren was born on November 1, 1973, in Orem, Utah. He grew up in Orem and graduated from Orem High School in 1992.

Following high school, Darren answered the call to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Milan, Italy. His missionary service reflected a devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ that would remain one of the defining priorities of his life.

Darren later attended Brigham Young University, where he met Sunshine Autumn Lanette Tripp, the woman who would become the love of his life. Darren and Sunshine were married on May 8, 2003, and solemnized in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. Together they built a life and family centered on love and faith and were blessed with four children: their daughters, Aspen, Vienna, and Noelle, and their son, Summit.

Darren's life can perhaps best be described through five great loves: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his family, the outdoors, sports, and BYU. These were more than simply interests or hobbies. They were woven into the fabric of Darren's life and helped define the man he was. First and foremost was Darren's love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His faith was not simply something he believed, but something he sought to make a central part of his life. From serving as a missionary in Milan, Italy, to being sealed to Sunshine in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple and raising their family in the Gospel, his testimony of Jesus Christ helped shape the course of his life. Family was at the center of Darren's life. He loved Sunshine and their children and treasured the experiences and memories they created together. The faith Darren valued so deeply is also reflected in the lives of his children. His daughter Aspen is currently serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Newport Beach Mission, and his daughter Vienna has been called to serve in the Texas Houston North Mission, where she will begin her missionary service on December 2, 2026. For a father whose own missionary service in Milan was such an important part of his life, his daughters' decisions to follow that same path of service carry special meaning. Darren's influence as a husband and father will continue through his family and through the faith, stories, traditions, and memories they carry forward.

Darren also had a deep love for the outdoors, where he found enjoyment, adventure, and opportunities to appreciate the beauty of the world around him. He especially loved hiking, hunting, and fishing. Hiking Mount Timpanogos held a special place in his heart, as did the time he spent hunting and fishing with family. Whether making his way up the familiar trails of Timpanogos, heading out on a hunt, or spending time with a fishing rod in hand, being outdoors was simply part of who Darren was.

Sports were another great passion throughout Darren's life. He loved playing sports, with baseball holding a particularly special place in his heart, which he played at Orem High School. He enjoyed the competition, camaraderie, and simple joy that came from playing the games he loved.

And then there was BYU. Darren's love for BYU was about more than sports and school spirit. BYU held a particularly meaningful place in his heart because it was there that he met Sunshine. His enthusiasm for BYU stood alongside his other great passions and was part of the personality and spirit that made Darren uniquely Darren.

Darren is survived by his loving wife, Sunshine; his children Aspen, Vienna, Noelle and Summit; his mother, Dixie Durfey; his brother, Kerry Durfey (Suann); his sisters Dana Sargent (Jeff) and Michelle Swank (Chris); as well as 36 nephews and nieces, many great nephews & great-nieces, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Ellett Durfey, and his maternal & paternal grandparents.

Darren's passing leaves a profound emptiness in the hearts of his family and those who knew and loved him. His mortal life ended far too soon, but his family finds comfort in the same Gospel of Jesus Christ that Darren loved and sought to make central to his life. Through the Savior Jesus Christ and His Resurrection, and through the sacred promises made in the temple, Darren's family looks forward with faith and hope to the day when they will be reunited.

The testimony that once led Darren to serve the Lord in Milan, and that continues through Aspen's service in Newport Beach and Vienna's call to Houston, offers a beautiful legacy of faith and devotion to the Savior.

Darren leaves behind a life defined by the things he loved most: his Savior and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his family, the mountains and outdoors, the thrill of sports, and, of course, BYU. The trails of Mount Timpanogos, days spent hunting, quiet moments fishing, time on the ball field, cheering for BYU, and most importantly, moments spent together as a family will forever bring memories of Darren close.

Darren will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten. Until we meet again.

A viewing will be held at the Mount Loafer Ward Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 220 South Woodland Hills Drive, Woodland Hills, Utah 84653, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. Following the funeral service, Darren will be laid to rest at the Salem City Cemetery.