Derry Eynon

Born September 17, 1933 in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of Mildred (Williams) and Floyd Eynon. Derry graduated from Cleveland Heights High School (1951) and The Ohio State University, majoring in Agriculture (B.S.,1955) and Journalism (M.A.,1968). Prior to and during college he worked as a newspaper carrier, grocery delivery boy, printer’s helper, janitor, dishwasher, farm worker, factory production line worker, research lab assistant and plumbing supply delivery driver. His first job after college was delivering poultry and eggs for a cooperative to grocers in Columbus, Ohio. But he soon joined the editorial staff (1955-58) of agricultural magazines at Watt Publishing Co., then located in Mt.Morris, Illinois.

Derry joined the editorial staff of Steel (1958-61), a Penton Publishing weekly magazine in Cleveland, that served US metalworking industries. While working in Cleveland, Derry met Lois Giles at a party. Neither was impressed with the other. They met again a year later and their perspectives changed. They married in 1961. After the wedding, they moved to Mt. Morris, Illinois, where Derry returned to Watt Publishing (1961-67) to be Editor-in-Chief of two international agricultural business magazines, a position that involved overseas travel (including the USSR in 1964) and Mexico. Derry changed course in 1967, obtaining an advanced degree at The Ohio State and joining the faculty for the first year (1968) of what is now the Department of Journalism and Media Communication at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. During his tenure at CSU, he served on Faculty Council and Department and University Curriculum Committees, supervised the journalism internship program, twice served as Acting Chair of the journalism department, represented CSU on the Colorado High School Press Association Board, presented papers at American Association for Education in Journalism annual conventions and received a number of awards, most notably the Liberal Arts College Social Science Teacher of the Year, Liberal Arts College Adviser of the Year and the Public Service Award of the International Association of Business Communicators/Colorado Chapter. He also did consulting, gave numerous seminars, short courses and talks for public and private organizations in Colorado and elsewhere.

In 1991, Derry returned to industry to end his journalism career as Chief Operating Officer of GIS World, Inc. (1991-96), Fort Collins, which served the geographic information systems industry in North America, Europe, and Asia via magazines, conventions, short courses and books. After GIS World was sold to Pearson, a British company, Derry retired from full time work in 1996, though he worked part time in various positions until 1999. During his career, he was involved in the start-up of eight periodicals. He enjoyed music, especially blues and bluegrass, cats, ice cream, real and model railroads, and model boats, reading, history, and maps.

Derry is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lois Eynon, son, David Eynon (Diana) of Decatur, Illinois, daughter, Amy Martin (Billy) of Dublin, Ohio, and five grandchildren, Miruna, Gedrych and Mildred of Decatur, and Gregory and Grace of Dublin.

Per his wishes, no public services will be held. Donations in Derry’s name may be made to La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Clark-Eynon Journalism Scholarship at Colorado State University, or Northern Ohio Railway Museum.

Memories of Derry and words of condolence for his family are welcome at resthavencolorado.com.