Darrell 'Boogie' Hitchens, loved stock cars
Darrell Wayne “Boogie” Hitchens, 75, of Selbyville, went home to be with his heavenly Father Saturday, March 29, 2014, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born April 29, 1938, son of the late Ollie Lowe and Laura Evelyn Hitchens. Boogie got his first start in the trucking business at Morris Poultry, owned by Harold Morris. He bought his first truck and started Hitchens Brothers Construction Company with his brother Oliver in 1966. Presently, he owned Shelby Construction and Trucking Company in Selbyville.
His love of stock car racing began with his first 55 Chevrolet race car. Oliver and Boogie started racing in Little Lincoln in the 1970s. Over the years, Boogie became widely known as the Bandit, No. 80, which was also part of the No. 680 and No. 880 racing teams.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife Ollie Ann Hitchens; his in-laws, Olie Daniel and Frances Howey Baker; and a brother, Donald M. Hitchens. Boogie is survived by his loving daughter, Lisa Lynn Gray and her husband Robert Timothy Gray Jr.; two loving grandchildren, Shelby Lynn and Christopher Jacob Gray; seven brothers, Oliver Hitchens and his wife Grace, Cashar Hitchens and his wife Inge, Wilmer Leroy Hitchens and his wife, Shirley, Billy Hitchens and his wife Grace, Ollie Hitchens Jr., Jim Hitchens and his wife Nancy, and Richard Hitchens and his wife Pam; and two sisters, Dorothy Warren and Marie Savage. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Lee Givens and her husband David; two aunts, Sara Cullen and Mable Layton; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and a large community of friends, business associates, employees, racing family and good friend and attorney, Eugene Bayard.
Boogie will be remembered as an ornery man who loved a good laugh “wheelin and dealin” to make a good business deal, but was also willing to help those in need. He will be forever cherished as a loving father, grandfather, brother and friend. Boogie will be deeply missed but never forgotten.
A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, April 3, at the Ocean View Chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 38040 Muddy Neck Road, Ocean View, where the funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Bishopville Cemetery in Bishopville, Md.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in “Boogie’s” name to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963, or Bishopville Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 350, Bishopville, MD 21813.
