Daryl Wayne Chilcutt

Daryl Wayne Chilcutt, age 90, passed away peacefully, on September 19, 2022, at Mirabella Memory Care in Fort Worth, Texas, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Daryl was born in Springtown Texas to Joe Lee Chilcutt and Viola Faye Grimmett Chilcutt on May 23, 1932. He attended school there and was, at first, a player of basketball and then a lover of the game for most of his life. He participated in the ROTC program in college and then served five years in the U.S. Air Force. After completing a Master’s Degree in Business at the University of North Texas, in Denton, he was hired by NASA at Langley AFB in Hampton, Virginia. When the NASA group moved to Houston, so did Daryl, where he worked in the Procurement Division for 32 years, retiring in 1994. During his time at NASA, he oversaw a wide range of space related contracts, from research and development, university grants, and technical/medical development in the early years to contracts more specifically related to the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo projects, and eventually the space shuttle. Notably, he was the contract supervisor for the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) that eventually landed on the moon, the construction of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory that held the returned moon rocks, and the modification of the two Boeing 747 aircraft that served as shuttle carriers. Early on, in Houston, Daryl became interested in antique clocks and became a collector and restorer, making friends and acquiring approximately 600 (mostly American made) clocks before a move resulted in him becoming a bit more selective. He also became a “rock hound,” likely a result of his mother’s lifelong interest in gems and minerals. Lastly, Daryl and his Aunt Marchie Gilliland dug deep into the ancestry from which they sprang, enjoying the search and the close relationships with extended family members. Daryl was devoted to his family and friends, being especially fond of his title, Daddy. He will be missed beyond words by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Faye Chilcutt, and his brother Bobby Chilcutt. Daryl is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jeri Hughes Chilcutt; a daughter, Kathy Chilcutt Peterson; two granddaughters, Rachel Caroline Jobe, and Paige Elizabeth Jobe; a sister, Barbara Chilcutt Taliaferro; nieces Shannon Taliaferro Noblitt and husband Carl, Robin Johnson and husband Roy, and Roxanne Bills; nephew Kelly Todd Taliaferro; grand nieces and nephews: Zachary Carl Noblitt, Alexandra Rhea Taliaferro, Kelly Kane Taliaferro, Leslie Wade Bills, Kenny Bills, and Samantha Deann Bills; as well as long time friends of the family, Johnny Gonzales of Huntsville, the Miller Family of Houston, and Sean Wright of Tennessee. Not to be omitted are his Hughes in-laws who considered him one of their own. The funeral service will be held on September 23, 2022 at noon, at White’s Funeral Home in Springtown, Texas, with nephew Todd Taliaferro officiating. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral hour. Burial with military honors will be at Springtown Cemetery, immediately following service. The family would like to thank the staff at Mirabella Memory Care in Benbrook, Texas for the loving care he received during his illness.