Grady Wade Darrow

Grady Wade Darrow died peacefully and without pain at his home early Sunday morning, July 10th, 2005. Grady had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma in January of 2001 and managed to live two to three years longer than was initially expected. While St. Mary's Cancer Center in Walla Walla, OHSU in Portland, Hutchinson Center in Seattle, National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD and Grand Ronde Hospital all worked to defeat the disease, what helped Grady the most to cope with and respond positively to the many chemos and procedures was the love, support and attention of his friends, family, fans and fellow musicians.


Grady was born on May 29, 1955 in Blythe, CA to Reginald and Phyllis Darrow. As a boy he lived in Buena Park, Belair, and San Anselmo, CA and in McKenzie Bridge, OR. As a teen-ager and young man he lived in Alaska, Wisconsin, Arizona, California, and parts unknown. In 1979 he moved to northeast Oregon. He was married to Judith Campbell of La Grande with whom he has three daughters: Miranda, Eva and Dala. The couple later divorced.


Grady was an avid mover and shaker on the music scene in the Grande Ronde Valley. Over the years he organized La Grande's Thursday Night at the Max concerts and contributed his time and talent to numerous other community arts and music events.


Grady is survived by his daughters: Miranda of Carmel Valley, CA, Eva of Ashland, OR and Dala of La Grande, OR. Other survivors include: his father, Reginald Darrow of Billings, MT/Yuma, AZ; his brother, Grant Darrow of Elgin, OR and his sister, Zana Darrow of Bangor, WI. Grady was preceded in death by his mother, Phyllis, in 1983 and his brother, Garth, in 1957.


It was Grady's wish to be cremated and Daniels Chapel of the Valley is handling his request. A celebration of life is being organized by friends and fellow musicians and will be announced at a later date. To honor his contribution to the community, the family is creating a memorial.

Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Grady Darrow Probate Estate, P.O. Box 1549, La Grande, OR 97850, to help defray his last expenses and assist in creating the memorial.


Grady was primarily a blues-man--he played a real mean blues harp--and whenever he was able, he was playing a gig somewhere. As of last call on Sunday July 10th, 2005, Grady finished his last set here and is now playing a gig somewhere else.