Derrick Ernest MacInnis

Born January 1, 1929, in Portsmouth, NH. He was the youngest child of Miriam Lingo and Captain Philip Hutchinson MacInnis, DC, USN.

After his family settled back in the States in Milton, Delaware, Derrick became a lifeguard in Rehoboth Beach, DE, and developed a strong interest in pursuing a career as a River Pilot.

Derrick served a formal 4-year apprenticeship under the Pilots’ Association for the Bay & River Delaware and then passed a State Pilotage examination administered by the Board of Pilot Commissioners. He earned his place among the Delaware Bay River Pilots, mastering one of the East Coast's most challenging waterways, and remained a beloved captain for over fifty years.

A friend set Derrick up on a blind date with a young woman named Nancy Straub, who was temporarily back in Philadelphia during a break from her modeling work in Europe.

He took her to a play, “Mr. Roberts.” Although Nancy tried to cancel at the last minute, Derrick persevered, and that first date became the first chapter of their love story.

When Nancy was to return to Europe not long after they began dating, Derrick slipped a diamond ring into her martini glass. And she said yes. They remained devoted to each other through sickness and in health and were married for over 65 years until her death on December 31, 2020.

Derrick and Nancy settled in Lewes, Delaware, where he began his river pilot career before eventually moving to the Main Line in Philadelphia to be closer to Nancy’s family.

They had five children: Nancy (Nina) of Baltimore, MD; Martha (Missy) and Kate of Chevy Chase, MD; his late son Derrick; and Courtney of Washington, DC.

Derrick is survived by his children Nina, Missy (Jim Regan), Kate, and Courtney, as well as his grandchildren, Emily Wall (Marco), Isabel Colin (Tim), Ella, Lukas, and Daniel, his daughter-in-law Suzanne, niece Meg MacInnis, and the over 50 nieces and nephews on Nancy’s side.

He is predeceased by his brother Philip, nephew Philip, son Derrick, and his wife, Nancy.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in memory of Nancy and Derrick MacInnis to Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Nancy's alma mater and a place close to their hearts, where faith, friendship, and lifelong connections flourished. Please send them to: www.visi.org/macinnis