Burt Derick

Burt Derick passed away Friday, April 11.  Burt's mom, Pauline Wixon Derick, was a Dennis genealogist and historian.  After she died in the late '90s, Burt retired from his career as an applied physicist, returned to Dennis, and threw himself into research and documentation of Dennis history, into history education, and into public service.  

And I mean, threw himself.  Among (many) other things, he digitially converted over 50,000 documents.  He transcribed many of these, working through dated handwriting to do it, and then created detailed annotations of many of them as well.  His obituary – below – lays it out, or take a look at the transcriptions and annotations in his Annals of South Dennis.  

Burt was enthusiastic and his enthusiasm was catching.  He was a good story teller, and he had a lot of stories to tell (after working through 50,000 documents, he knew who had been up to what in Dennis).  

Burt was generous with his time, knowledge, discoveries, and work products; he didn't hoard the things he'd learned or documented, but shared them as widely as possible.  He was supportive of work done by others.   He built up the people around him, as historians, as history consumers, and as people.

I can't think of him separately from his wife, Ruth.  When Burt was called out between midnight and 4 AM on Christmas Day 2013 to deal with heating and plumbing problems at a Dennis Historical Society building, Ruth went with him.  When I found him prospecting the vault of the Dennis Town Offices for old documents, Ruth was there with him. When I visited, Ruth was an integral part of the conversation.  My thoughts and prayers are with Ruth now.

Burt and Ruth Derick

Nicole Muller reported on Burt's passing for The Register: Dennis mourns native son Burt Derick.  Much of this is in the obituary, but Muller has also collected recollections from 20 or so friends.  Muller has also prepared a personal appraisal: REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: Rest in peace, my friend.  Muller profiled Burt back in 2009: Renaissance man: Burt Derick’s life reflects his passions and philosophy.  The Cape Cod Genealogical Society reported on some of Burt's work back in 2010: CCGS member works to preserve Dennis records.

The obituary that follows is well-written but, to be fair, Burt gave the author a lot of good material:

SOUTH DENNIS — Burton Nathaniel Derick of South Dennis slipped his mooring and went peacefully over the bar on March 11, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. Burt came into the world at Cape Cod Hospital and left it from the same place. He was a 12th generation Cape Codder, from both of his parents.

Burt was raised in Dennis Port until 1952, when the family moved to South Dennis. He gained an early education and appreciation for commercial fishing with his grandfather, Nathaniel H. Wixon, a skill he was always proud to own. He graduated from the Dennis Consolidated School and Yarmouth High School where he pitched for the baseball team and served two times as Class President. He graduated from Lemoni College in Graceland, IA, and transferred to the University of Maine, Orono, where he received a Master's Degree in Physics, with specialties in Optics and Nuclear Physics, and became a member of Sigma Iota Tau Sigma Physics Honor Society.

In 1962, Burt joined E. I. DuPont Nemours Polychemical Research Deparment in Wilmington, DE where he helped to develop Crofton plastic fiber optics. General Motors utilized the material to light up the instrument panels in cars. He later worked with Butacite, the plastic interlayer in windshields. He owned two and co-owned two other U. S. patents for that material. He ultimately became a senior technical consultant.

In 1967, DuPont sent Burt and his team to Australia to oversee the sales and technical service for Butacite for safety glass. It was so successful that his territory was expanded to Japan, Southeast Asia and South America. In 1971, DuPont transferred Burt to Parkersburg, WV to set up a new plant. Eventually Burt traveled the world for DuPont building a plant in Australia and in Hamm, Germany. He logged more than 1.5 million air miles and had some wonderful stories to tell about much of it. He also became a connoisseur of fine food and a glass of good red.

Burt took a sabbatical in 1996 when his mother, noted historian and genealogist, Pauline Wixon Derick was in failing health. He and his family came to South Dennis and cared for her until her death in 1997. He returned to Parkersburg, retired and moved permanently to South Dennis where he took up Pauline's work. He became a Vice President/genealogist for the Nickerson Family Assn. and Director/President of Swan Lake Cemetery Assn. He served the Town of Dennis on the Historical Commission, on the 1693 Josiah Dennis Manse Committee, the West Dennis Graded School Restoration Committee and stayed on for the Oversight Committee, Land Acquisition Committee, Cemetery Advisory Committee, Community Preservation Committee and South Dennis Historic District. Burt became the librarian and historical custodian of the Dennis Historical Society. He had acquired and digitally converted well over fifty thousand pieces of Dennis history, ranging from pictures, letters, log books, journals, laboriously created transcriptions and more. This treasure of historical data will remain his lasting legacy to the Town of Dennis. While living in Parkersburg he was Master of the Parkersburg Lodge #169, A.F. & A. M.

Burt has been a prolific writer for the Nickerson Family Assn., Dennis Historical Society newsletter, the Cape Cod Genealogical Society, scientific papers and others. He was the author of several books.

Living on Bass River, it was natural for Burt to become interested in Native American artifacts. He and his mother collected many arrowheads and other items. He participated in archeological digs here and in West Virginia. A few years ago, Burt had his DNA checked and was delighted to find that he was a descendant of the Vikings.

Burt leaves his beloved wife of 40 years, Ruth Marjorie (McNutt) Derick. He was the devoted father of Rebekah Derick and proud grandfather of Colby Nathaniel Hancock. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Wilma Derick of Wales, ME, brother & sister-in-law Tom and Andi McNutt of NM, sister & brother-in-law Dorothy & Webb Blevins of DE and numerous nieces and nephews and his dear "unrelated relatives" Jill James Slowik and Phyllis Horton. He was predeceased by his beloved son, Nathaniel, his parents Orion and Pauline Derick and his brother, Elbert Derick.

Visiting hours will be held Thursday, April 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth with Masonic services at 7 p.m.

A graveside service will be held Friday April 18, at 11 a.m. in Swan Lake Cemetery, Depot Street, Dennis Port. A reception will follow at the West Dennis Graded School, 67 School Street, West Dennis.

As an expression of sympathy, requested donations may be made to the Swan Lake Cemetery Assn., P.O. Box 291, South Dennis, MA 02660.

Edits: Original text edited on April 27, 2014.  Photo added October 23, 2014, with permission of Ruth Derick.