William 'Willy-D' Darnell

William “Willy-D” Darnell, age 27, of Greenville, passed away on Sunday, March 19, 2023, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of O’Fallon, IL.

William was born on September 22, 1995, in Springfield, IL, the son of Anthony and Teresa Lynn (Alford) Darnell.

Energetic, and talkative, a real chatty-cathy, are apt descriptions of William, who always had a smile on his face and never knew a stranger. He made a lot of people smile with his energy and vibrant personality. He was certainly a bright light shining upon us all.

He graduated from Greenville High School in 2017 and was dubbed, “Sir Talks- A- Lot” by his friends. He was a member of the Boy Scouts and the Challenger Baseball League. One of his favorite pastimes was to play video games and to watch television, especially sports, with his grandfather. He truly enjoyed spending time with his best friend Dalton “Bubba” Kirk. They spent many days together and going out on fun adventures. He also really enjoyed cheering his sister and cousin on at their sporting events.  His mother was his number one fan and she held a very special place in his heart.  A highlight of his life was meeting Sammy Sosa via the Make A Wish Foundation.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Teresa and Anthony and his grandfather, Carl Alford.

William is survived by his grandmother, Joe Ann Alford of Greenville, IL; his sister, Heather (Scott) File of Collinsville, IL; his aunt, Pamela Alford of Greenville, IL; and a cousin, Kathleen Alford-Spitze (Brad Crites) of Wilsonville, IL.

Cremation will be accorded, and no public ceremonies will be held.

Memorials may be mailed to: Special Olympics Illinois Region J, 1318 Mercantile Drive, Highland, IL 62249 and/or given to www.soill.org .

The family asks that memorials be made in lieu of flowers, plants, and other gifts.

The family has entrusted Assalley-Young Funeral Home in Greenville with the ceremonies.

Please visit www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com to share memories or offer condolences to the family.