Father-in-law or friend? Derek was a proud man of very high standards, which in our early days formed a partial barrier between us. At that point, he was indeed a Father-in-Law! He correctly conducted his due diligence on me before finally giving the nod of approval for me to marry his beloved daughter Ju. I admired him in the way he demonstrated his full and loving commitment to his family. Nothing was ever too much trouble and he and Margaret would always be there if they were needed. I don’t have to comment on his courage, that has been obvious over the last 20 months as he fought his illness. However, this attribute was obvious to me long before this tragic period in Derek’s life. He never backed down from a challenge and for that I respected him. In fact we became closer over the years as our friendship and respect for each other grew. So, the answer to my original question is that Derek was my friend and I, along with his family and friends, will miss him. God bless you Derek and may you rest in peace. Andy Allman MC