Darrell David "D.D." Cvitanovich

Darrell David “D.D.” Cvitanovich, Sr., Colonel – Mississippi Highway Patrol (Retired), born January 15, 1933 in Biloxi, MS passed away Saturday, March 9, 2019 in D’Iberville. DD attended Dukate School, St. Stanislaus, Notre Dame Jr. High and graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1951 and immediately joined the United States Marine Corps. He spent one year in 1952 with the First Marine Division in Korea during the Korean War where he earned the Korean Service Medal with three battle stars. He was discharged from the Marine Corps as a sergeant in 1954 at the age of Twenty-one and then attended Perkinston Jr. College for two years where he played on the 1955 and 1956 Bulldog Football Teams. He joined the Biloxi Police Department in January of 1958 and served for three years. He then attended the Mississippi Highway Patrol Training School in the fall of 1960 and was appointed as a Mississippi State Trooper on February 1, 1961. After serving in Jones, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties and other statewide assignments in the 1960’s, he was promoted to a Master Sergeant in 1972. He attended the 99th Session of the FBI National Academy at Quantico Virginia in the fall of 1974. After a large retirement in the agency, DD was appointed Chief of the Mississippi Highway Patrol and held two patrol schools to fill the ranks of those who retired. In 1986 he initiated the Travel Criminal Apprehension Program (aka The Wolf Pack) within the Mississippi Highway Patrol which has resulted in thousands of drug courier and criminal fugitive apprehensions over the years. After his tenure as Chief there were 600 troopers in 600 cars assigned to patrol the highways in Mississippi. After serving as Chief, in 1988 he returned to enforcement duty until his retirement in 1989 when he was appointed Chief of Police in Biloxi by Mayor Pete Halat where he served until 1993. In January 1994 he began a career in the casino industry as a charter member of Grand Casino Biloxi and Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino until retiring a few months ago. He was a life-long member of St. Michaels Catholic Church. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Mississippi State Troopers Association and the Mississippi Retired Troopers Association. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dominick and Philomena Sercovich Cvitanovich; three brothers, Andrew, Anthony and Earl; one granddaughter, Angel; and his beloved pet, Bugle who will be laid to rest with him. Survivors include his loving wife of 55 years, Mary Hampton Cvitanovich; two sons, Dominick “Nicky” (Jennifer) and Darrell Jr. (Jennifer); four daughters, Deidra Cvitanovich (Fiancé Troy), Tina Cvitanovich (Gina), Lena Lee (Daniel) and Dorothy Payne (Wayne Jr.); sixteen grandchildren, Dominick “Nick”, Nathan, Cole, Chelsey, Daralyn, Danielle, Daisha, Brandon, Darrell III, Delaney, Kayla, Cassie, Amber, Christopher, Kaitlyn and Haily; seven great-grandchildren, Kenzlee, Wyatt, Maisie, Cameron, Bryceson, Ella and Kash; one sister, Barbara Lyons (Stephen); and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be held at the Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 2:00 pm. Friends may visit from 12:00 pm until service time. Interment will follow at Biloxi City Cemetery with full Military and Police Honors.