Derry Gates Bird

Derry Gates Bird, son of Derry Gates Bird Sr. and Graham Gloster Bird, was born in Marietta, Ohio on March 10, 1936, and passed peacefully away at Allied Hospice Services on Dec. 9, 2022, after a brief stay at Celebration Villa in Peckville.

Derry grew up in Cleveland and discovered baseball and his beloved Cleveland Indians at the age of six. He attended Meadville High School and Allegheny College where he discovered his love for musical theater and drama under the direction of his mother, Graham. He proudly served in the United States Navy for six years aboard the Destroyer Tender USS Hamul, including two years of active duty in the Pacific.

He spent more than 40 years in broadcasting at radio and television stations in Ohio and Pennsylvania, including 29 years at WDAU/WYOU in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre market. He worked as an anchor, a field reporter, and for 15 years as a weather forecaster. His favorite contributions were as host of the weekly nature-oriented segment, "Birds' Eye View," which enabled him to travel the back roads of NEPA doing stories on subjects he loved.

He retired in 2000 and was in high demand. He served for many years as board chairman of the Pocono Environmental Education Center, president and long-time board member of the Lackawanna Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy and others. Derry was a member of the Casual Day Committee of NEPA Cancer Society and delivered Meals on Wheels.

Derry was a tenor. He sang with the Singers Guild of Scranton and was a board member and performer with the Robert Dale Chorale (Arcadia Chorale). He also sang in the choir of the Church of the Epiphany in Glenburn where, in addition, he served as a member of the vestry, senior warden, a lay reader, chalice bearer and served on many church committees.

Survivors include Nancy, his wife of more than 62 years; his daughter, Stacie and her husband, James Ruth; his son, Christopher and his wife, Peg, and their sons, Zachary and Aaron; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, James Bird; and sister, Kate Paquette.

Friends will be received at the Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, 418 S. State St., Clarks Summit, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16. A service of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, from the Church of the Epiphany with interment to follow.

Donations in Derry's name can be made to Countryside Conservancy, 1 College Green, La Plume, PA 18440; or Centre Wildlife Care, 148 Custred Lane, Port Matilda, PA, 16870.