(Thomas) Michael Darner Obituary – The Desert Sun

(Thomas) Michael Darner

Palm Springs – (Thomas) Michael Darner, aged 72, passed away on May 3, 2022 as the result of complications from open heart surgery. Born October 3, 1949, in Dayton, Ohio, he grew up on a dairy farm and learned from an early age the meaning and value of inquisitiveness and labor. A graduate of Fairborn High School in 1967, he achieved a Bachelor of Arts in History at Michigan State University in 1971, and a Masters in Architecture at the University of Colorado in 1982. In the intervening years between his degrees, he worked many different jobs each of which contributed to his later success in life, among them real estate sales and legislative research writer. During this decade, he spent a year abroad exploring Europe where he solidified his interest in architecture.

Michael worked for the architecture firm, Gensler, for the entirety of his professional career, starting as office boy and retiring as senior partner after 40 years of service in 2018. During those years he designed and managed hundreds of projects including the Beverly Hills Country Club, Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, The Sony Theatre in Lincoln Square New York, Studio Babelsberg in Berlin, Liverpool Airport in Liverpool England, the AFI Silver Theater in Washington DC, and Windsor at Celebration in Celebration Florida.

In semi-retirement, Michael became the producer of the play “Electricity” by Terry Ray, which had successful runs in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Columbus Ohio, and Palm Springs California, where it was known as the longest running play in Palm Springs. It is destined for an Off-Broadway run in the near future.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents Thomas A. Darner and Martha L. Darner (Cunningham). He is survived by his brother Larry Darner (Carol), his sister Debra Baltes (Robert), his nephews Matthew (Katie), Christopher (Lara), and niece Mage Baltes, as well as many lifelong friends. Burial will be with his parents in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday evening, June 11 in Palm Springs. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of Michael’s favorite charities: Habitat for Humanity, Aids Project L.A., or Desert Aids Project.