Born in Axminster, Devon, England, Derek emigrated to the U.S. in 1966 to work as an engineer at the Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash.

The youngest of four siblings, Derek was preceded in death by brothers Fred and Peter, and sister Dorothy, all of the U.K.

His early years in Seattle were marked by many adventures in the Cascade Mountains, with the Seattle Mountaineers and with others who had also come  from Europe to work for Boeing.

After a successful career with Boeing (27 years), Derek spent a year in Bandung, Indonesia, as an engineering consultant. Derek and Pierette retired to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island in 1994 after spending several months traveling around the world, including Australia, trekking in Nepal, India, France, Switzerland and England.

Derek was very active in the local Lions Club and the San Juan Island theater (building sets for local plays), as well as a volunteer with the National Park Service. He helped organize the annual Friday Harbor Oktoberfest, which first started in 1995, where he loved to dance the polka with Pierette.

He continued his interest in older cars–he enjoyed restoring a 1972 MG and a 1968 Jaguar E-type, and sharing his enthusiasm with others during the annual car show (Concours d’Elegance). He also enjoyed playing tennis and golf at the local country club.

Derek is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Pierette, his children, Philip and Sylvia Rouse, and by his four grandchildren, Maddison, Keenan, Madeline and Simone.

His wonderful sense of humor, British, of course, was not always fully understood by everyone, but it will be sorely missed by those who “got it.”

Derek was laid to rest in Valley Cemetery, April 19, 2014.

He would be delighted to know that the Lions Club or the Community Theatre were the recipient of any donation made in his memory.

— Family of Derek Rouse