Derrick Beecham

Psalm 23, verse 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Dickey, dad, grandpa - you are dearly missed by all of us - love always from your family: Jessie, Cerilla, Darryl, Jen, Hayden, Thessaly, Mikayla, Corbin and Alex!!
Derrick Frederick Beecham leaves behind a legacy of a loving wife and friend - Jessie - his children, grandchildren and a close knit group of dear friends. The devotion and commitment that he had to his family were rooted in him because of his parents, especially his mom - Nora - whom he adored and his dad, Wilfred. He was a God-fearing, good, kind, intelligent, hard-working, compassionate and gentle, family man who loved being surrounded by his grandchildren.
Derrick was blessed to celebrate his last wedding anniversary of 48 years with Jessie on April 22, 2016. Theirs was a love story that began in 1966 while Derrick was commissioned in the Indian Army. They first met at a Christmas event in New Delhi, India. Derrick saw Jessie in a room full of people; she was beautifully dressed in a traditional Indian sari which set her apart. They were married in 1968 and that set the stage for a fairy tale of a lifetime.
After he left the army, with distinction of Captain, he joined the textile industry in India and worked in Kanpur, Gwalior and even went to Iran in 1977 for a one year project. While he was in Iran, the Iranian Revolution broke out and he was unable to leave the country with a group of 12 men that he had taken with him. His ever devoted and fearless wife, Jessie, took it upon herself to meet with the Indian Airlines office and they tried to contact them for days until one day they finally connected with Derrick. Soon thereafter, Indian Airlines arranged for Derrick and all 12 men to be flown back to India. This was the first miracle to happen in Derrick and Jessie's life.
In 1981, the family immigrated to the U.S. with the dream of working hard and making a successful life. Derrick was in his mid-40s when he arrived in the U.S. He had to return to college because his degree from India wasn't recognized by U.S. employers. Derrick went to Texas State University full time, worked part-time, and commuted many hours between San Antonio and San Marcos to graduate in December 1989 with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. In 1991, the family relocated from San Antonio to Dallas because Derrick was hired by JCPenney's corporate headquarters. In 1992, Derrick and Jessie built their dream home in Richardson, TX and live there until this day. In 1993, he survived a major brain hemorrhage which was the second miracle of my parents' lives. Due to this, Derrick lost his short-term memory and peripheral vision which forced him to stop working. Jessie took care of him for the past 23 years and in spite of his health, they traveled the world together to India, Australia, London, Italy, France, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Singapore and Sri Lanka, to name a few.
Upon his passing, the outpouring of love and support of friends from far and wide who are like family to him is a further testimony of whom he was: Mervyn and Brian/Jean in India, Gordon and Sheila in the U.S., Jennie/David and Margaret in Australia, and Margaret and Adit in Canada, these are lifelong friendships that are cherished until this day.
Your love and commitment as a son, husband, father, grandpa and friend won't be forgotten!!
Lyrics to Derrick and Jessie's wedding and favorite song, "Somewhere My Love" - Theme Song from Dr. Zhivago: "Someday we'll meet again, my love.'Til then, my sweet, think of me now and then. God speed my love til you are mine again."
A Visitation will be held from 12 - 1:00pm on Thursday May 26, 2016 at Allen Family Funeral Options. A memorial service will follow at 2:00pm at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano, Texas 75024. A reception will follow.
If it is your wish, memorial donations, in Derrick's name, may be made to Casa Hogares. Make checks payable to Amigos de Peru, 4550 Legacy Drive, Plano, Texas 75024, with a memo for Casa Hogares.