Derek Bodford

1963 - 2019

Derek Nelson Bodford

November 6, 1963 - November 22, 2019

Raleigh



Derek Nelson Bodford of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away unexpectedly on November 22, 2019. Derek was born in Winston-Salem on November 6, 1963 to Donald Gene Bodford and Carole Nelson Mayberry, both predeceased. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Alicia Lester-Bodford; his daughter Jessica Bodford and son-in-law Ryan Downey; his brother Reid Bodford and sister-in-law Elizabeth Hayden; his siblings-in-law Carole Nobles, Daniel Nobles, Candace Jones, and Richard Lathrop; his step-father Anthony Mayberry and step-sister Cynthia Janssen; and his nieces and nephews Hannah Nobles, Holden Jones, Jared Nobles, Joshua Jones, Mayci Jones, and Susan Nobles.



Derek was a doting husband and father, an enthusiast of technology and paper maps, a collector of Case knives and Zippo lighters, and a fervent advocate for stray animals and the environment. He was regarded as a walking encyclopedia of music knowledge, bolstered by the 8,634 albums he accumulated over the years that ranged from Simple Minds to Lady Gaga, Black Sabbath to Gillian Welch. On Saturday mornings, he was magnetically drawn to random antique stores in the middle of nowhere, where he would spend so many hours inspecting glass bottles and Double Cola signs that his family once reported him lost to the store owner, gave up, and left him there.



He loved 80s culture, Apple-branded gadgets, neon signs, Bojangles seasoning, Route 66, wild snakes, and Nickelodeon cartoons, even straying so far as to pull his daughter out of school half a dozen times to see movies like The Wild Thornberries, Rugrats in Paris, and Hey Arnold! in theaters. His favorite day of the year was the opening Friday of the N.C. State Fair, for which he'd built such a tight itinerary to cover each and every inch of the fairgrounds that a two-minute pitstop for grilled corn would put the entire day in jeopardy. In recent years, Derek became an admirer of local craft beers and all things made in North Carolina, from Farm to Feet socks to Cone Mills denim. He was a dedicated fan to his favorite bands, including U2, Simple Minds, The Cure, and Tears for Fears, and could fry up the best SPAM sandwiches in the South.



Derek spent his professional life within the roofing community, forging close bonds with many lifelong friends in the process. His coworkers tell tales of his distaste for unnecessarily long meetings, the extensive collage of family photos in his office, and his insistence on referring to customers as "sir" and "ma'am" at all times. He was regarded as a mastermind of spreadsheets and meticulous organization, and workplaces have since mandated the adoption of his (only slightly obnoxious) file labeling etiquette. In fact, he maintained such thorough documentation of his collection of 19,303 songs, 1,029 Zippo lighters, and 714 Case knives that his spreadsheets include SKU numbers, blade IDs, purchase dates and prices, and supplier details for each and every item. His coworkers regarded him as a salesperson to the core: ever amiable and extroverted, unfailingly interested in the lives of the people around him, and always up for sharing a Bojangles biscuit or two (sausage link with grape jelly, extra crispy, with a half-and-half tea on the side).



But above all, Derek was known for his kind heart, his deep-bellied laugh, and the joy that shone from him in his every interaction with others. He was deeply loved by his family, friends, and community, and will be sorely missed.



The Burial Service will be held on Tuesday, December 3 at 2:00pm at The Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 8849 Ray Road, Raleigh. A reception to greet the family will take place immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Derek's memory to the Church of the Nativity, Safe Haven for Cats, or the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.