It is with great regret I have to let the MoneyAM community know some terribly sad news about our great friend Derek (Mighty Micro).

You might have noticed his absence from the BB’s as he had been battling various complications since suffering from a stroke last year. Both Derek and his wife Ruth received excellent support from the medical profession and the Macmillan organisation as his condition worsened. At the week-end, they organised for him to go into the Duchess of Kent, a Sue Ryder hospice.

Yesterday, he slipped away peacefully at lunch time with all his family there.

He had many friends in the MoneyAM community and will be sorely missed, for so many reasons.

Derek was a driver behind the launch of MoneyAM, his company (IST) build the website and tools from scratch in a amazingly short time and continue to this day to support our software.

His wit and charm were evident not only on the BB’s but in real life, he was certainly a larger than life character, when you met Derek he left a lasting impression. His kindness on the BBs was very evident and his help on all things IT helped many of us less technical users out of sticky holes.

He was at the forefront of the computing revolution having worked at NCR in the 60 ‘s and ICL, His company IST (Imperial Software Technology) was a spin out from Imperial University, he and his colleagues grew this into a successful technology business with such clients as Oracle, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, BP, NASA , the CIA and many many more.

As many of you know he was a very keen traveller and radio ham, his business often took him to California, he particularly loved flying with BA and seemed to know every pilot by their first names.

Andy Lovell, his colleague at IST, will keep me up to date with funeral arrangements, I will put these up on here when we know more.

Derek will be sorely missed.

Mike

Funeral Arrangements

Derek's funeral is at 10.30 on Friday the 22nd of November at Easthampstead Park Crematorium, RG40 3DW. Afterwards there will be a reception at Cantley House, Milton Rd, Wokingham RG40 5QG. (http://www.cantleyhotel.co.uk/)

Everybody is welcome to come to the reception as well as the funeral. It will be helpful with the organisation to know numbers, so do let us know if you expect to come, but you are welcome even if you haven't confirmed.

That is sad news.

Rest in peace Del Boy.

That's terrible.

I have known Derek since 1967 and was loosely in business with him a few times over the years. He was an outstanding intellect in the IT sphere and was a charismatic leader. I worked on a number of projects with Derek over the years starting with a COBOL compiler in 1967, then a NEAT to PLAN cross compiler in the early 1970s. We even shared the same accountant for years.

I remember sitting in his flat in Swiss Cottage drinking too much whisky. He had been reading Private Eye and they had published Downing Street's phone number. It was the early hours of the night and Derek rang the number and asked to speak to the Prime Minister. The person at the other end asked if it was important and should he wake the PM. Derek said not to bother.

He will be greatly missed. He always entertaining and a good friend. I will miss that twinkle in his eye and that chuckle in his voice.

Saddened by Derek's passing. I met him at a couple of Traders Meetings many years ago. Struck me as a man of great intellect. I still recall many of his posts on these boards - a thorough gentleman. Will miss him greatly.

Indeed very sad news.

I wonder if he is now regaling Steve Jobs with his stories about Bill Gates?

Very sad. Derek was a great character and a friend to us all. I shall miss his wit and
insight.

Very sad news,
Met him a few times , and what a lovely man he was .
He was always happy to help and had a great sense of humour,remember having fish and chips with him in the local pub near to his offices,
He then took us on a tour of his offices,and his hospitality and generosity was lovely,

A true gentleman

RIP MM

Ruth x

Sorry to hear the sad news.
I remember him well from the Traders meetings all those years ago.
TT

Very sad to here the news about DelBoy,a very interesting guy and will be missed for sure.

R.I.P Derek

Rick

This news is very sad.

As Ruthie and others before me have said, DelBoy was just a lovely bloke. All the rocket science stuff went straight over my head, but he sure as Hell knew how to get ski boots back safely from Utah to Nelson Mandela Towers.

RIP MM!

Sad news, Del Boy was liked and respected by all.

I am so sorry to hear this. I didn't even know he had had a stroke.
Such a lovely man who helped me many a time with his humour and knowledge.
My heart goes out to his family especially Ruth.
RIP Mighty M.. you will be sorely missed.
Julie x

Truly a unique chap, he will be missed.

Very sad to hear this news, not only for his family but also for the wider community who knew him.
Many people pass us by without a ripple, Derek would never be one of those with so much personality, I still remember being introduced to Derek by Mega Bucks at a London MoneyAM event, great day, but meeting Derek was worth the ticket on it's own.

Condolences to family

KenF

I didn't have much to do with him and never actually met him. Such is the relationship one often has with fellow contributors on a web site with forum facilities such as this one.

I can remember him trying to help me on several occasions on here and I did value his often witty and helpful comments to the board at large, particularly with 'techie and computer issues'.

Importantly, I am very sad to hear of his passing.

My condolences to Derek's family at this very sad time.

The funeral will be at 10.30 on Friday the 22nd of November at Easthampstead Park Crematorium,Reading RG40 3DW. The family will have a do afterwards but are still confirming the venue so details of that to follow.

Needless to say I will be there to represent MoneyAM

regards


Mike

I'm really sorry to hear the news. I met him at a Traders meeting and he was a true gentleman - to the point where I inadvertently interrupted a business meeting he was having with Martin Stamp and he contacted me afterwards and apologised for not accommodating me, but it should have been me apologising.

Mike, please include my condolences to his family.

Like a lot of us on here, I met him a few items over the years and he was always such a cheerful man, always ready to take the mickey out of himself. He will be sadly missed.

A true gent indeed. RIP sir.

I remember MM from traders meetings.

RIP

Gutted , always had great banter with MM and the patience he showed when giving the technical help he gave to an idiot like me would have tried the patience of a Saint.

RIP mate.