Darrel ‘Smokey’ Kisler

Darrel Stephen Kisler, 80, passed away June 13, 2025, at Sacred Heart Hospital, Spokane, with loving family by his bedside. Memorial services will be held at the Warden Community Church on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 11 a.m., with graveside burial to follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Warden.

Darrel was born Oct. 27, 1944, in Ritzville, Wash., the last of five children born to Clarence and Erna (Rauter) Kisler. Darrel went to school all 12 years at Warden and graduated from high school in 1962. He continued his education at Columbia Basin College and Kinman Business University, earning a degree in accounting. Darrel worked several years in the accounting field and as petroleum supervisor for Cenex before returning home to farm with his family and worked for Doug and Sandi Berg Farms for 20 years.

Darrel married his high school sweetheart, Jacquelyn Schultz, in 1965. From this marriage two sons were born: Todd Stephen in 1967 and Scott Craig in 1969. In 1977, he married Patricia McQuesten from Sunnyside, Wash. From this marriage three more children were born: Randall James in 1979, Brian Darrel in 1980, and Katie Renae in 1985.

Darrel’s favorite hobby was working with livestock, helping 4-H and FFA kids taking animals to the county fairs. He was a 4-H livestock leader, served on the Grant County fair livestock sale committee and was a member on the Grant County Fair Board. Starting with 1976 when Todd first joined 4-H, he has had either children or grandchildren take animals to the fair every year. In later years he enjoyed watching Gonzaga and WSU Women’s Basketball and was a lifelong supporter of all Warden athletics. Darrel learned to weld and made over 120 metal lawn ornaments for family and friends.

Darrel’s dream early in life was that his parents own a cattle ranch in the mountains somewhere, instead of a dryland farm near Warden. Before he was old enough to drive tractors on the farm, he spent his summers riding horses on his uncle Roy’s ranch. In the mid 1950s, his uncle Roy sold his Frenchman Hills place and irrigated units around Warden were purchased. This ended his dream and he settled for his second choice, farming.

Darrel is survived by his wife, Patricia Kisler of Warden; one sister, Sylvia Butler of Spokane; one sister-in-law, Loretta Kisler of Yakima; one brother, Dennis Kisler of Houston, Texas; three sons, Todd (Nila) Kisler of Burbank, Scott (Lorinda Howard) Kisler of Warden and Brian (Ashley) Kisler of Warden; one daughter, Katie (Adam) Jensen of Warden; 18 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Erna, son Randall, two brothers, Howard and Wesley, sister-in-law Sandra and one great-grandson, Jesse Ranstrom.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to: PAWS Warden Ag Boosters at P.O. Box 2283, Warden, WA 98857.

Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories.