Dwight Foster Derry II, age 77, passed peacefully on February 13, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. He attended Tech High School before joining the Army at age 18. He proudly served in Vietnam before returning to Omaha where he joined the Omaha Fire Department. Dwight took great pride in his role as he worked his way up to becoming Captain. Soon thereafter, he felt a strong calling to do mission work and bravely moved his family to Mexico. Various pursuits of passion and purpose eventually lead him back to Omaha where he settled. He rounded out his career with 25 years in leadership and development at Mutual of Omaha.
Dwight fought through much adversity in his life, which produced both charisma and grit. This influenced his involvement and avid volunteering in organizations like the United Way, Red Cross, Special Olympics, Greater Omaha Scuba Club, and refereeing youth sports. Each relationship with Dwight held its own story and wove together a complex tapestry of memories reflected throughout the many seasons of his life.
He will always be remembered as a true “people person”. His goal upon entering a room was to make everyone laugh – he always had a joke ready. He loved adventure, was an avid learner, and had many entrepreneurial ventures that he was proud of. Dwight was incredibly creative, artistic, and inventive. He loved Star Trek and Star Wars and was over-the-top in love with Avatar. He lived for Tuesday movie drops at NFM, anything space and ocean, scuba diving, Tin Roof Sundae ice cream (who are we kidding – ALL ice cream), motorcycles, music, Halloween, and Dr. Pepper (he never left home without it).
Dwight is survived by wife Charlotte Beardmore, daughter Tonna (Nate) Heinemann, son Adam (Connie), and their mother, Linda Fries, stepdaughters Stacy Cranbrook and Leslie (Jeremy) Reimer, grandchildren Keirstyn (Collin) Elliott, Ethan (Tatum), Weston, Remington Heinemann, and Ryder Derry, step grandchildren, Bentley and Audrey Cranbrook, Sidney and Charlie Reimer, great-grandchildren Theodore, Judah, Shepard, Cedar, and Daniel Elliott, siblings Deborah (Kenny Kirkendall), John Jr “Jack” (Sherry), and Steven , and numerous extended family.
He was preceded in death by: parents, dad John Derry, Sr., mom Joan Wilbur, sister Kathryn Clare “Kaci” Tolles.
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