Born in Nogales, AZ into a ranching family, Del was born with his boots on. Growing up on the family ranch in Pie Town, NM, he took several ranching jobs after graduating from Quemado High School in 1977. Those jobs ultimately took him south to Blanco, TX where he befriended a man who had a daughter named Beverly. He married that girl on New Year's Day 1982. Over the next decade, he made friends and mentors who helped him become a skilled welder and fabricator. He and Bev raised goats, cows, and kids in the Texas Hill Country until 1994 when he moved his young family to Tucumcari, NM. Though it was met with some resistance, he bought some land and settled down, making a living day-working, welding, ranching and farming, meeting lifelong friends along the way. In 2009, he opened a welding shop and spent years helping people create, build and repair all sorts of things. Whether it be a kind word, a humorous anecdote, or a helping hand, Del was always there with a smile as big as his personality. Though he was always worried about being seen as lazy, he was finally settling into what he called "semi-retirement" by filling his days with what he loved: good horses, team-roping and making the time for those he cared most about.

Del is survived by his wife, Beverly Choate of Tucumcari, NM; daughter, Jennifer Zachary and husband Miles of Auburn, AL; son, Roland Choate and wife Shelby of Tucumcari, NM; mother, Jan Choate Richins; sister, Susi Kaufman; 2 brothers, Shawn Choate and Ric Choate and wife Melissa; 5 grandchildren, Kaden, Britten and Easton of Auburn, AL and Eli and Cooper of Tucumcari, NM,

He was preceded in death by his father, Rufus Choate and his brother, Brett Choate.