Darrell Paige

Darrell Paige was a 19-year-old from the St. Louis area whose family and friends remember him for the promise he carried as he prepared for college. Public notices and memorial pages list Darrell as the beloved son of Wanda Whiteside and Darrell Paige Sr., and a cherished grandson to Dorothea Scott. He is also remembered by brothers and close cousins, and by a circle of friends the family called “The Crew.” A girlfriend named Jada Smith is referenced in the family’s memorial notices.

Those who knew Darrell described a young man following a path that included completing high school and moving on to college studies in business. Teachers and community members who have spoken about him in group remembrances highlighted his thoughtfulness and creativity, and the high hopes his family had for his future as the first in his immediate family to graduate and attend college. His funeral services were listed by a St. Louis-area funeral provider in February 2016; the family asked that public comments be uplifting as they sought comfort and healing.

Public records and local remembrances confirm that Darrell’s life mattered to a family and a community that mourned him. Though reporting about the circumstances of his death appears in some local compilations of 2016 gun-violence victims, the focus here is on Darrell’s life: a young student with ambitions, loved by family, and remembered for his kindness and potential. Because the public record available through funeral-notice pages and local remembrance projects is limited, many personal details remain private to his family. What is clear is that Darrell’s life — his relationships, his plans for college, and the respect of his teachers and friends — left an imprint on those who knew him, and he is remembered with affection.