Honoring Our Heroes
In the face of life's battles, some of our heroes fought battles within themselves that we may never fully comprehend. Join us in remembering and honoring the stories of these brave individuals who, despite their inner struggles, left an indelible mark on our world.
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When a hero is added to this page, their family receives a shadow box memorial and 25 specially designed patches to give close friends and family. This is all at no cost to the family.
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The proceeds of any additional sales of a service member's patch will be donated to a charity or organization the family or service member chooses.
Derek Neymeyer
Derek made up his mind early in life to make a decision and stick with it.
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This started with deciding on jam and cheese and bread for every lunch. Still a
preschooler, he pretended he would pilot the Fisher Price Little People airplane.
This goal led to real airplanes and Derek soloed as soon as he met the age requirement at 16 years. This career path led to piloting C130 in the Marine Corps.
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Derek was a family man who, in his limited time at home, looked forward to doing things with his family. They especially enjoyed hiking, camping, and gardening.
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He was a talented wood maker, making many beautiful crafts for his family. Many of these projects were completed with his son, Tim. He was always game to play. He would enter handstand contests – this made him popular with his nieces and nephews. Even though he did not live close, Derek frequently came to see his parents and siblings as often as he could. He loved to do crosswords and drink coffee, all while talking about what’s been happening and laughing about shared memories.
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Derek retired as a Major from the United States Marine Corps after 20 years and
transitioned to a flying career with Southwest Airlines.
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For his unwavering service to his country, Derek’s personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal (with 1 star).
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Derek continued his support for the military aviation community as a member of the Marine Corps Air Transport Association, Irreverent Warriors, and volunteered as the DFW Area Coordinator for the Wingman Foundation while continuously supporting numerous other wounded warrior organizations and veterans in need.