Matthew Darrell Barron
Matthew Darrell Barron saddled up and rode home to the “big ranch” on March 30, 2025, where “never is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.” There, the dust never blows, the cattle are always fat, and the windmill never runs dry. He was welcomed by his beautiful bride, Bonnie Sue Mitchell Barron, waiting for him at the gate, a basket of freshly shelled peas in her lap and a smile that could light up the whole prairie. Darrell was bom in Lamesa, on February 25, 1943, to Tom and Marguerite Knox Barron. On Christmas Eve of 1960, he married Sue, kicking off a lifetime of love, laughter, and a whole lot of hard work. Together, they built a life in Plains, raising two children while Darrell worked from sunup to sundown, walking fence lines, tending cattle, and coaxing life from the dry Texas soil. His hands were worn, his back strong, and his spirit even stronger.
For 65 years, he poured his heart into farming and ranching, never backing down from the work or the weather.
Darrell never met a stranger—just folks he hadn’t swapped stories with yet. He had an easy way about him, a wit that could bring a chuckle even on the toughest days, and a heart big enough to hold the whole county. Whether in the branding pen, leaning on a feed store counter, or kicking up dust on a country road, he made people feel at home.
Darrell was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Tommy, Mark, and Judge Jim Barron; and his granddaughter, Blaine Barron.
His legacy lives on in the family he loved so fiercely. Left to cherish his memory are his children and their spouses: Matt Barron and wife Caryn of Houston, and his bluebird, Christy Barron and husband Roy Dunn of Blanco. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Cristin Barron, Mitchell Barron, David and Katy Barron, Tommy Stocky, Sky and Jole Barron, Sammy Barron, and great-grandchildren Brenden Bartsch, Ayden Bartsch, Dottie Barron, and Benjy Barron.
Services for Darrell will be held at 1:00 p.m. on April 5 at First Plains (First Baptist Church), with graveside services to follow at Plains Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 4, at Ratliff Funeral Home, 303 E. Broadway St, Denver City, TX 79323.
Darrell was a man of the land, a cowboy at heart, and a storyteller to the end. Though the dust has settled on his trail, his legacy rides on in every fence post he set, every red dirt field he worked, and every heart he touched.
Rather than sending flowers, the family kindly requests that you consider supporting the National Alliance on Mental Illness (https://www.nami.org). with kindness, generosity, and unwavering devotion to God. His gentle spirit, wisdom, and love for his family will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 14, at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Seagraves. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donnie’s honor to your local FFA chapter or to Wyclifle Bible Translators.
