I just wanted to take some time this AM to comment on my good friend Derek who is greatly missed - I was thinking of him while on business travel the other day - lots of road or airtime gives you time to reminisce. Derek had an incredible sense of humor, and was really sharp as a tack - I was always impressed with how smart he was and how easy it was for him to ace tests - he actually studied though and I always just winged it - many hours were spent with usually with Shawn Morrison and Derek and I laughing and howling as we made each other crack up - also listening to tons of music - Derek always had a way of subjecting Shawn and I to bands and artists that we would not necesarilly listen to - the 3 of us took off to San Diego in Dereks Toyota Corolla after graduation - I was still only 17! Crazy to think about now, I can't believe we all were allowed to do that - Derek was really good about hosting my wife and I when we would come to Seattle - he and my wife Donnel both went to U of W and they got along really well - he always made you feel comfortable and was really easy to talk to and very interesting and updated on current events. When Zach, my first boy was born 15 years ago, Derek held him and played with him like he was the proud uncle - Zach played with a little blue football that Derek gave him as a baby for years - it is around somewhere still I'm sure. Lots of really neat memories and laughs, and good times - Derek was a classy dude - Rest in peace Derek
Wayne Childs
I just wanted to take some time this AM to comment on my good friend Derek who is greatly missed - I was thinking of him while on business travel the other day - lots of road or airtime gives you time to reminisce. Derek had an incredible sense of humor, and was really sharp as a tack - I was always impressed with how smart he was and how easy it was for him to ace tests - he actually studied though and I always just winged it - many hours were spent with usually with Shawn Morrison and Derek and I laughing and howling as we made each other crack up - also listening to tons of music - Derek always had a way of subjecting Shawn and I to bands and artists that we would not necesarilly listen to - the 3 of us took off to San Diego in Dereks Toyota Corolla after graduation - I was still only 17! Crazy to think about now, I can't believe we all were allowed to do that - Derek was really good about hosting my wife and I when we would come to Seattle - he and my wife Donnel both went to U of W and they got along really well - he always made you feel comfortable and was really easy to talk to and very interesting and updated on current events. When Zach, my first boy was born 15 years ago, Derek held him and played with him like he was the proud uncle - Zach played with a little blue football that Derek gave him as a baby for years - it is around somewhere still I'm sure. Lots of really neat memories and laughs, and good times - Derek was a classy dude - Rest in peace Derek