James E Derry

James E. Derry, of Dunnellon, passed away in Crystal River on Sunday, February 4, 2024. He was 81. Jim was born in Macon, GA and served three years in the US Army as a military intelligence specialist, one of which he served in Vietnam. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech and loved watching his Yellow Jackets play football. Jim was in medical sales for years. Jim and Donna moved to Florida from New Orleans in 1993, living in Crystal River for many years and finally moving to the Dunnellon area. They are members of Gulf to Lake Church in Crystal River. Jim loved scalloping, boating, fishing, hunting, traveling, golf, football and Fox News. While living in New Orleans he was a member of the Endymion Krewe for many years. He also loved his church, family, friends, and pets. Jim was very technically minded, having won first place in a state science competition during high school for building a binary code computer. He was known as “Mr. Fix It.” Jim was preceded in death by his parents Edward Neidlinger and Gladys Derry; his stepfather William Derry; a daughter Kristin Derry McBride; and his sister Sheila Weddon. Those left to cherish Jim’s memory are his loving wife of 37 years Donna Hinely Derry of Dunnellon; his son James E. Derry, Jr. (Andrea) of Mandeville, LA; his daughter Cynthia Derry Boucher of Monson, MA; grandchildren Collin Boucher, Mackenzie Boucher, Maegan Boucher, Ella Derry, Lucy Derry, and Blair Bourgeois. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at Gulf to Lake Church, 1454 N Gulf Ave, Crystal River on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 2:00 pm. The family requests that memorial donations please be made in Jim’s memory to Key Training Center https://keytrainingcenter.org/kcf/donate/. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Cremation Care.