Lt. Col Derrell Savage

Lt. Col. Derrell James Savage

Derrell James Savage died peacefully in his sleep on January 29, 2021, surrounded by his family.

Derrell was born the second son of Cecil Brigham and Pearl Luella (nee Maynard) Savage on April 23, 1936 in Aberdeen, Idaho. When he was 14 years old, he saw Nyla Luanne Johnson, the daughter of William and Erminnie (nee Richardson) Johnson of American Falls, Idaho, and vowed that he would marry her one day. She was 12 at the time. He made good on his promise. On September 28, 1956, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.

When Derrell was 17 years old, he decided he’d had enough of high school and joined the US Army as a paratrooper. He reported to Fort Douglas, Utah, in 1953 and began an illustrious 20-year military career. During his time serving his country, he lived in Japan, Korea, Germany, Vietnam and Thailand, as well as California, Kentucky, Colorado, Alabama, Georgia, Utah and Arizona. After earning his high school GED, he attended college, but the nature of military life interfered with his plans to earn a college degree.

Derrell fought for his country in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He served five tours in Southeast Asia. During the Vietnam War, he earned the Silver Star, Legion of Merit Medal, three Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Meritorious Service Medal. He earned his Silver Star by saving the lives of his comrades while injured and under fire. He authored military manuals and was featured in “Vietnam Diary” when he was interviewed by the author, Richard Tregaskis. In 1969, he served his last tour of the Vietnam War in Thailand and brought his wife and three daughters with him. He achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1970.

Derrell and Nyla had four children, Jennifer, Janine, Wendy and Jeffrey. After Derrell retired from the army in 1973, the family moved to Aberdeen, Idaho. In 1974, they moved to Hagerman, Idaho, where he managed Bell Rapids Mutual Irrigation Company for 11 years. Then Derrell and Nyla bought a farm. After he left farming, the family moved to Layton, Utah, in 1987, and Derrell worked as a truck driver for May Trucking and then later as the operations manager for MAG Trucking where he retired from in 1999.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Derrell served as a gospel doctrine teacher. He served a mission for the church with Nyla from 2006 to 2007 in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, the same base where he retired from the US Army.

Derrell earned his pilot’s license while he was stationed in Alabama in 1960 and flew planes, helicopters and ultralights for over 30 years, delighting friends and family alike. He loved to sing and play the guitar and entertained family, friends and fellow soldiers with “Rocky Top,” “Little Brown Building,” “Mule Skinner Blues,” “Riders in the Sky” and many others. But the highlight was his rendition of Rindercella. Family was very important to Derrell, attending many family reunions, family dinners and sporting events. In 2016, Derrell and Nyla celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Derrell is survived by his sweetheart, Nyla; his children Jennifer (Bill) Culberson of Queen Creek, Arizona, Janine (Blake) Weathers of Layton, Utah, Wendy (Doug) Oettinger of Layton, Utah, and Jeffrey (Kimberly) Savage of Syracuse, Utah, his sister, Donna (Doug) Prudhomme of Pocatello, Idaho; his sisters-in-law Jean (Dwayne) Savage of Eagle, Idaho, and Kay (Ronald) Savage of Springfield, Idaho; and his great-uncle John (Ida) Savage of Challis, Idaho. Derrell is the grandfather to Savannah (Kelly) Nicholes, Amanda (Dustin) Hepworth, Jessica (Chad) Nicholls, Rachel Dunham, John Morgan Dunham, Ryan (Andrea) Oettinger, Jordyn Weathers, Zachary Oettinger, Ethan Weathers, Samantha Savage and Logan Savage. He is the great-grandfather to Leon and Felix Nicholes; Corbyn, Aedyn, Holdyn and Emersyn Hepworth; Wyatt and Emmett Nicholls; and Brinley Oettinger. He is also Uncle Duke to numerous nieces and nephews.

Derrell was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and Pearl Savage, his brothers Dwayne Cecil Savage and Ronald Marion Savage, and his brother-in-law Doug Prudhomme.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Friday, February 5, 2021, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 N Fairfield Rd, Layton, UT 84041.

The family would like to thank Tender Care Home Health and Hospice for their sweet care of Derrell.