Derek Michael Sutherland McColl

A man ahead of his time, Derek McColl possessed many talents which served him well throughout his life. He had a heart of gold, and found his greatest treasure in the love of family. Through hardship, Derek realized that hope was possible. With determination and talent on his side, he came to live life doing what he enjoyed most. Deeply missed, Derek will be fondly remembered for all that he gave, and more. Born on May 11, 1943 in London, England during the World War II Blitz, Derek Michael Sutherland McColl was the firstborn child of David and Elizabeth (Rout) McColl. Derek's father was in the Royal Air Force and flew many missions into Germany, and news of the day was dominated by the mass destruction of their once beautiful city. Since the hospitals were filled with war casualties, Derek's mother gave birth to him in a local nursing home. London was a main target during the war, and life for young Derek and his family was filled with air raids, bombings, and for the first years of his life, no lights were allowed on after dark. They were forced to seek shelter on numerous occasions, yet with great spirit, they along with thousands of Londoners shared courage and a positive spirit even in the face of danger. Having been raised in London during his formative years, Derek could recall many of his earlier years in London. Well after the war, rations continued as the nation began to rebuild. With only one egg rationed to each home every week, Derek's parents gave him their only egg in an effort to sustain their young son. In time he was joined by three younger siblings, Richard, Caroline and James. At the age of nine, Derek and his family moved to America, and he came to realize an entirely new way of life. Derek and his family settled in Boston, Massachusetts where he attended the area schools. He adjusted well to his new surroundings, made many friends and experienced countless adventures during his youth. He went on to graduate from Mount St. Charles Academy, a boarding school in Rhode Island. Soon after graduating, Derek moved to Los Angeles, California when his parents relocated there. In Los Angeles, Derek first worked as a photographer taking passport photos, including those of many Hollywood celebrities of the mid sixties, including Dick Van Dyke, Ann Margaret, the Everly Brothers, Kirk Douglas, Ricky Nelson, Shirley Maclaine, John Forsythe, Tippi Hedren, Caesar Romero, Groucho Marx, Pat Boone, Ginger Rogers, Gregory Peck, Jane Russell, Natalie Wood, Lawrence Welk, among many others. It was then when Derek realized his penchant and love for photography. Derek later began working for Bell Telephone Company as an electronics technician. Well versed in this capacity, he was very instrumental in the first analog to digital transfer switching system. Although still very young, his grasp of the technical aspects for this transition was recognized and he subsequently taught incoming technicians in California, Illinois, and New Jersey. Even in his younger years, Derek knew his way around electronics. During his youth he built his own computer, as well as a camera, and both from scratch. In fact, in the early 1960s, Derek was the founding member of the Southern California Computer Society. He also taught computer lessons, tutoring many famous Hollywood clients. After 18 years, Derek's career turned in another exciting and adventurous direction when he joined Sports Cap, a manufacturer of baseball caps. One of their customers was the Walt Disney Company, and with his artistic talents, he began designing caps for Disney. His time working with Disney also led to his insatiable collection of Mickey Mouse memorabilia. He also designed marketing brochures for companies, and graphics for a Denver magazine. Derek experienced much recognition and success in his careers, and truly loved what he was doing. He had the natural ability of many talents, and he used them to prosper and grow throughout his life. However, nothing compared to Derek's love for his two wonderful daughters, Rachelle and Debbie. He spent every opportunity with them, and loved watching them grow into beautiful, successful women. In 2003, Derek moved to Denver, Colorado to be near family, and soon found the love of his life and soul mate in Nancy Miller. While attending an Easter egg hunt with his daughter, Rachelle and grandchildren, he was introduced to Rachelle's friend, Margaret and her mother, Nancy. From that moment on, Derek and Nancy were nearly inseparable. On December 17, 2008, Derek and Nancy were united in marriage in Firestone, Colorado. He took on Nancy's daughters and grandchildren as his own, and their families blended well. He loved photographing his family, especially the grandchildren, and capturing animals and scenes from the Rocky Mountain National Park and the Rocky Mountains on film. He took plenty of photos of his beloved dog, Muffin, and his feline companion, Snowy, who never left Derek's side. A testament to Derek's soft heart was when Snowy "found" him. On a snowy day in Colorado, Derek heard a faint "meuw" at the door where Derek discovered a little white cat sitting on the stoop. After opening the door, the kitten stepped in, and made herself a forever home. As a couple, Derek and Nancy were the best companions, and loved having fun together. Derek's favorite vocal artist was Neil Diamond, and when they attended his concert in Denver, they, along with the many other 60 year olds in attendance, had a blast acting like teenagers, if only for that night. Derek was a magician, and a good one at that. He went by the name, The Wizard, and was a member of the Magic Castle while in Los Angeles which served as a private club for other famous magicians, like Blackstone. Nancy loved this side of Derek, and together they once bought an actual guillotine at a garage sale! Through tricks of the trade, he always did a fine job of scaring the grandchildren! One past Halloween, Derek was Count Dracula and Nancy dressed up as a witch. They won a contest for the best costumes, and when they went to see their grandsons at school, they scared them as they had no idea who they were! Among his varied interests, Derek was also a registered stamp collector and dealer when he lived in Los Angeles. When dining out, he absolutely loved the Zuppa Toscana soup at The Olive Garden restaurant. Derek counted his greatest blessing as family. He dearly loved his daughters, stepchildren and grandchildren. Through the years and to Derek's credit, hundreds of photographs captured what meant the most to him. Smiles upon smiles, along with hugs and family gatherings will always be treasured. When he began suffering from health issues recently, Derek and Nancy moved to Rushford, Minnesota this past November. Derek McColl was a testament of an unwavering soul who followed his dreams through mere talent. From rough beginnings, he came to lead a life filled with the things he loved. A good man with a good heart, his kindness radiated to all he encountered. Never to be forgotten, Derek leaves much to be remembered in the hearts of those who loved and knew him best. Mr. Derek M.S. McColl, 71, of Rushford, MN, formerly of Denver, CO, died on Friday, January 16, 2015 at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Miller of Rushford; two children: Rachell (James) Bachman and Deborah (Steven) McGlasson; stepchildren: Margaret Iaconetti, Michael (LouAnn) Wukitsch, and Matthew (Andrea) Wukitsch; 12 grandchildren; three siblings: Richard (Roseanna) McColl, James McColl and Caroline McColl. He was preceded in death by his parents. There will be a memorial service for Derek at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2015 at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home Chapel in Rushford with the Rev. Pratap Reddy officiating. The family prefers memorials to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford. To share a favorite memory or photo of Derek and to sign his online guestbook, please visit at www.hofffuneral.com. Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service, Rushford, MN 507-864-7771.