William Anderson Derryberry

Video Memories of Mr. William DerryberryWilliam Anderson Derryberry, 86, retired employee of Union Carbide and resident of Third Avenue, died Thursday, June 9, 2005, at Life Care Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Sunday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Wayne B. Hardison officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, 812 Nashville Highway, Columbia, TN 38401 or American Red Cross, 419 West Ninth Street, Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the son of the late Gideon Blackburn Derryberry and Nannie Fox Derryberry. His wife of forty-nine years, Laura Macdonald "Maxine" Derryberry, preceded him in death on January 16, 1995. Mr. Derryberry was a 1939 graduate of Columbia Central High School and enlisted in the U. S. Navy on October 10, 1940. After training at Norfolk, VA, he was assigned to the U.S.S. MOFFETT doing convoy duty in the North Atlantic. He transferred to the U.S.S. MORRIS, the flag staff of Destroyer Squadron Two, in May 1941 and continued convoy duty to Newfoundland, Iceland, Greenland, and England and into the Arctic Circle until December 1941. He arrived at Pearl Harbor on December 9, 1941, and was part of the clean-up crew after the Japanese attack. His ship, the U.S.S. MORRIS, joined Task Forces 16 and 17 for destroyer convoy with the U.S.S. LEXINGTON and U.S.S. YORKTOWN. He was in the Coral Sea Battle in May 1942 and the Midway Battle in June 1942. He transferred to the U.S.S. TREVER, a high-speed mine sweeper, in July 1942. In August 1942, the ship swept the Sealark Channel for the invasion of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and other islands in the Solomon Island Chain. After the Kula Gulf Battle in July 1943, he transferred to new construction in September 1943 and was assigned to Miami, FL, Sub Chaser Training Center. There he met a WAVE, whom he later married. In November 1945, he transferred to new construction in Charleston, SC, and was assigned to put a Fleet Tug, the U.S.S. SALINAN in commission. He was discharged on December 6, 1946 as a Yeoman First Class. Mr. Derryberry was a member of Northview Church of Christ, Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, La Societe 40 & 8 Voiture 1394, and the U.S.S. MORRIS Group. He was a volunteer for American Red Cross and had taught Red Cross Emergency First Aid for several years. Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Libby D. (Gary) Moss of Columbia; one son, Larry (Linda) Derryberry of Longwood, Florida; one sister, Mrs. Ruth (Clyde) Yeager of Columbia; five grandchildren, Bill (Shelia) Thrasher, Mrs. Laura (Mike) Parks, and Mrs. Lisa (Jason) Kelley, all of Culleoka; Mrs. Lindsey (John) Jones of Wintergarden, Florida; Lane Derryberry of Altamonte Springs, Florida; four great grandchildren, Jordon Thrasher, Jacy Thrasher, Craig Parks, Cooper Parks, twenty nieces and nephews; forty-eight great nieces and great nephews; and several great great nieces and great great nephews. He was preceded in death by six sisters, Mary Derryberry, Cornelia Griffies, Frances Priest, Evelyn McMillion, Alma Worthington, Sarah Fitzgerald; two brothers, G. B. Derryberry, Charles Derryberry; and two beloved nephews, Charlie Griffies and Franklin Griffies. Pallbearers will be members of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. Honorary pallbearers will be elders and deacons of Northview Church of Christ and Dr. Willie Robinson.