Jonathan Duncan Darrah was born to Theodore and Cornelia Darrah in Rockville, Connecticut on June 9, 1941. He was the oldest of four siblings and would often joke that he was also the wisest. Jon spent his early years in Connecticut, moving with his family to Winter Park, Florida in 1947 when his father became Chaplain of the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College.

From an early age, Jon enjoyed the outdoors and was a boy scout in Troop 39 with his younger brother, Tim. His sisters, Deborah and Molly recalled Jon was always a magnet for "characters" and delighted in hearing people's unique stories.

After graduating from Rollins College in 1964, Jon joined the Peace Corps, serving as a volunteer in Malaysia and then in the Solomon Islands. During his second tour, Jon was promoted to Peace Corps Country Director, a role he continued across the world for the rest of his professional career. While Country Director in Thailand, Jon met and married his wife, Jirapa, in December of 1980.

Jon and his wife had been married for 44 years at the time of his passing on November 18, 2024. He is survived by his wife and two adult children, Jennifer and John. Jon is greatly missed.

Jon's family will be hosting a memorial service to honor his life to be held at the Knowles Memorial Chapel in Winter Park, FL on January 25, 2025, at 9am; the ceremony is open to all who would like to attend. Donations can be made in Jon's name to:
Winter Park Public Library ( https://www.winterparklibrary.org/ )
National Public Radio ( https://www.npr.org/donations/support )