We are often defined by those around us, the people we interact with and the love that supports that. Derek Boyd embodied that sentiment like very few others. Derek was one of those rare gems who, when you were talking with him, would be truly engaged in the conversation. When you did the talking, he’d listen. When he talked, you could hear the absolute sincerity in his words. That is a rare trait. One of the most beautiful elements of Derek was his humour. A long-time contributor to 24 hours, Derek was the brainchild behind the paper’s de facto mascot Guts McTavish, a quickwitted, kilt-wearing, sports-loving puppet. Guts was one of many incarnations embodied by Derek over the years as he made everyone’s commute a little more enjoyable. Even as Boyd dealt with health challenges in his final years, his coworkers were struck by his determination—whether that meant filing columns from doctors’ waiting rooms, refusing to let his difficult circumstances dim his outlook, or finding a reason to laugh in any given moment. Derek found ways to crack people up long before the paper’s inception. He was once a finalist in a Just For Laughs talent search. He was a regular on a cable access TV show in his hometown of Maple Ridge in the early ‘90s and he was club champion at the Maple Ridge Golf Course in 1986. Born in Scotland June 19, 1964, Derek passed Sept. 23, 2016 after a lengthy illness. He is survived by: his partner, Sharla Mattern; father, James Boyd and stepmom Loretta; step brother Karl Bridge (Angela); father-in-law, Rick and his wife Mary Mattern; sisters-in-law Sandi Mattern and Carolyn Lefferson her husband Brian Lefferson and their son Kyle. He was predeceased by his mother Janet “Jessie” Boyd. Celebration of Life Saturday Oct 29th 2-4pm Pitt Meadows Senior Center 19065 -119B Ave, Pitt Meadows BC