James Thomas Derrig Jr.
March 6, 1927 - August 28, 2015
Obituary
James Thomas “Jumbo” Derrig Jr. passed in his sleep on August 28, 2015. Friends and family will remember his outgoing nature, generosity, and unique aphorisms.
Born 88 years ago in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jim graduated in 1945 from St. Thomas Military Academy, where he was all state in football and hockey. After 4 years of Army service, he followed his parents west to Seattle. He secured degrees in civil and chemical engineering from Seattle University and the affections of one Patricia Nissen, who in 1955 became his wife of almost 60 years. Jim’s engineering and construction career brought him across the globe, from Alaska to South America to East Africa, but he spent most of it in Seattle running his companies Derrig & Peterson and Concrete Injectomatic Systems. Jim and Patricia raised their children on Capitol Hill, where all 5 graduated from St. Joseph’s. When the nest emptied they moved to Kenmore, where they joined the Inglewood Golf Club and frequently entertained at their home on the 15th green. Jim is survived by Patricia, his sons James and Joseph, his daughters Sarah (Bradlee), Therese (von der Hofen), and Molly, his grandchildren Joe, Kathleen, Sophia, Emily, Becky, Jack, Melissa, Max, Kendra and Colin, and his great grandchildren Kira, Alice and Avery.