Derrick W. Gee, age 82, of Spring Green, passed away on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, at The Meadows in Spring Green following an extended illness. He was born on May 27, 1940, in Stafford, England, the son of Frederick and Marjorie (Holtom) Gee.
Derrick graduated from the University of Leeds in England with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. There he met his cherished future wife, Janet Flower, whom he married in August 1965. He joined Pig Improvement Company (PIC) in 1969 near Oxford in England. After six years, he was asked by the company to come to Spring Green, Wisconsin, to help expand the U.S. business.
The family, wife Janet, son David, daughter Liz, and Derrick, moved to the U.S. in January of 1976. He worked for the PIC for 30 years in the industry he loved and served in many leadership roles with the company in the US, Asia, Latin America and Europe until he retired in 1999.
Derrick had a great love of travel, as he said, “I guess the seeds of my need for adventurous travel were planted by teenage Boy Scout treks and richly nurtured by expeditions to Labrador and Lapland before my twentieth birthday. A career which demanded work in the hog-raising countries of the three major continents was a real blessing.” In his retirement, he continued his adventures with a dog sledding trip in Greenland, hiking through the Himalayas, hunting with eagles in Mongolia, and exploring the varied cultures of India.
Derrick was also very focused on helping others in his home community and beyond. He served as President of the Richland Center-Santa Teresa (Nicaragua) Sister City project, and made several trips to that Central-American country. In Spring Green, he is a former President of the local Lions Club and a member of the Christ Lutheran Church. He co-founded the Church’s Matthew 25 charitable fund, which provides medical care and educational services for disadvantaged people in developing countries. His love of the arts led him to become an active member of the River Valley Players local community theater, President of the Spring Green Area Arts Coalition, and an avid supporter of American Players Theatre.
Survivors include his wife, Janet Gee of Spring Green, his son, David, and his wife, Amy Gee of Elkhorn, his daughter, Liz, and husband, Allyn Oh of Lafayette, CA.; grandchildren Lindsey and Steven Gee and Simon and Graham Oh, sister Jennie Gully and brother Bob Gee in England. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frederick and Marjorie Gee.
A memorial service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church, Spring Green, May 13th, 2023. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Matthew 25, Christ Lutheran Church, 237 E. Daly Street, Spring Green WI 53588, USA, with notation “Derrick Gee Memorial.” For online options, contact Matthew 25 at clcmatthew25@gmail.com. Or send to any other charity organization of your choice.
Online condolences available at www.staffordfuneralhomes.com. The Richardson-Stafford Funeral Home in Spring Green is assisting the family with the arrangements
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