Oneonta -  Darrell F. Singer, age 87, celebrated his birthday by going home to be with his Heavenly Father on Palm Sunday , April 13, 2014.

He was born in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, to Sybil and Samuel Singer as the youngest of five boys.

He learned the value of hard work on the family farm and served in the Army during World War II. He attended CornellUniversity undergrad and did his post-graduate work at West VirginiaUniversity, earning a Master's of Science in Civil Engineering.

He married Charlotte Clapper, also of Laceyville, in 1952. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

Darrell worked for SUNY at Delhi for twenty-four years, first as a professor, where he received the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching, and ultimately as Dean of the Engineering Division. At age fifty-eight, inspired by the Biblical story of Caleb, he set out on a new adventure for the next six years as a professor and the Biology and Chemistry Department Chairperson at NyackCollege in Nyack, New York.

He loved his family and his Lord. Darrell was always active in church as a lay preacher, teacher, youth leader and student of the Word. He also poured himself into activities with his children and grandchildren, including scouts and various sports teams.

His philosophy on life was summed up by a phrase he passed on to his children and grandchildren when they were getting ready for a race. "Start fast, pick it up in the middle, and sprint to the finish." Or, as the Bible phrases it, "Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23 . He taught his family that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing well.

He is survived by his wife, Charlotte, his children Jody and Bob Wisse, Randy and Rhonda Singer, Keith and Karen Singer, and by his grandchildren Rosalyn, Ashley, Joshua and his wife Alisa, Mitchell, Sadie, Sienna, Jacob and Benjamin.

A calling hour will take place at the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home at 51 Dietz Street, Oneonta, New York, at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2014, with a service following at 1:30 . A graveside service will be held at the LaceyStreetCemetery in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lhpfuneralhome.com .

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the SouthsideWesleyanChurch at 5308 State Highway 23, Oneonta, NY13820 or the Delta Lake Bible Conference at 6420 Pillmore Dr., Rome, NY13440.