YORK, Pa. - Harris C. "Jim" Derrick, 71, died Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at home with his family at his side following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Born Feb. 26, 1941, in Meadville, Pa., Jim was the son of the late Edith Derrick and the husband of Miriam Butler Derrick, his high school sweetheart and the love of his life. Together they shared 47 years of marriage.
Jim grew up in northeastern Ohio, graduating from Greene High School, where he excelled at basketball, baseball and having fun.
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Harris C. Derrick
Jim then served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1963 as a second class aviation electronics technician in Pensacola, Fla. He attended Pensacola Junior College during that time.
After serving in the Navy, Jim worked for Bunker-Ramo and subsequently Allen-Bradley in Cleveland. In 1975, Jim moved to York to work for Industrial Solid State Controls (ISSC) as a product specialist. He then became a product manager with Honeywell International in 1984.
When Jim retired in 1999, he was happy to be able to spend more time with friends and family. One of his favorite activities was traveling, from trips to Alaska and the Canadian Rockies to cruises in the Caribbean. At home, Jim became an accomplished chef who enhanced his skills through cooking classes. In the community, he was a fan who could often be seen supporting local sports teams. He even drove the bus for the York College women's volleyball team for a few years.
Jim will be remembered for his devotion to his family. Taking care of them was the most important thing. Jim will also be remembered for his friendly blue eyes, ready smile and engaging personality. He was known for his jokes and stories and he always made sure to thank everyone who did something for him.
In addition to his wife, Miriam, Jim is survived by a daughter, Katherine (Dean) Hawes of Ashburn, Va., and their sons, Daniel and Jack; a son, John (Kelly) Derrick of Chevy Chase, Md., and their daughters, Lindsay and Margot; and a sister, Jo Ann Scott.
Preceding him in death was a sister, Barbara.
The family would like to give their thanks to Cancer Care Of York and WellSpan for the extraordinary care and loving support that they provided to Jim and his family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jim's name may be made to Our Daily Bread, 331 S. George St., P.O. Box 548, York, PA 17405-0548.
The John W. Keffer Funeral Homes and Crematory Inc., 902 Mount Rose Ave., York, PA 17403, is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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