Daryl R. Gates Memorial Fund
Daryl R. Gates (1952-2024) is a former member of the Marion Community Foundation Board of Directors and President & CEO of Morral Companies (2001-2019). He is remembered as a great man with a huge, generous heart and a fun-loving personality.
Originally from Galion, Ohio, he was a member of the Galion High School Class of 1970, where he loved playing the trombone in the marching band. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Ohio State University and married his high school sweetheart, Valerie, sharing 45 years of marriage and raising four children.
Daryl started his career in the fertilizer industry in Marion at Plant Life Services Inc. and International Minerals and Chemicals Corporation.
Beginning in 1987, and for the 32 years that followed, he drove Morral Companies to expand from a small retail business to a major wholesale and retail distribution supplier, and a major specialty supplier nationwide. In 2013, Morral Companies marked their 50th year in business by receiving the Agriculture Retailers Association Retailer of the Year award.
Professionally, Daryl served on the boards of the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, Agriculture Retailers Association, the Fertilizer Institute, and the Ohio Governor’s Advisory Water Quality Committee. Locally, he served on boards for the Marion YMCA, River Valley Board of Education, Marion General Hospital, Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, Marion Area Red Cross, The Ohio State University at Marion, and the Ohio Commodores.
Daryl lived a full life. He enjoyed traveling to attend sporting events, including multiple national championship games and Rose Bowls to cheer on his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland sports teams. He loved golf, reading, especially history, travel, and animals.
Daryl knew how to command a room with his fun-loving personality, ornery grin, and raspy voice. He was extremely outgoing and had a huge compassionate heart, giving endlessly to help a cause he believed in. Most important to Daryl were his children and grandchildren. He prided himself on always being there for his family cherished his time with them.
The Daryl R. Gates Memorial Fund is a permanent endowment fund supporting community needs.
