Virgil J. Derra, 94, died Dec. 6, 2001, at Gothenburg Memorial Hospital.

He was born Nov. 28, 1907, to Henry George and Rosa Edwitch DeMars Derra at Campbell.

On April 9, 1940, he married Elsie Mae Voss at Gothenburg. The family moved to Farnam in 1932. They moved to North Platte in 1956 to run The Wagonwheel Motel until 1984, at which time they moved to Gothenburg. He enjoyed farming and in his heart he never left the farm.

Mr. Derra was a member of Our Lady Of Good Counsel Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Dilla Dene (Larry) Goedert of St. Charles, Mo., Delene (Tommy) Rogers of Tuscon, Ariz., DeEtta (Jerry) Wancewicz of Omaha and Delsie Fuqua of Lincoln; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; a sister, Theresa (Wray) Lydic of Gothenburg; and two brothers, Richard Derra of Farnam and Don (Vonnie) Derra of Gothenburg.

He was preceded in death by a son, Dallas, on Jan. 18, 1980; a grandson, Ricki Gerle; his parents; two sisters, Viola Hampson and Belle Thomalla; and a brother, Bernard.

Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Sunday at Our lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Gothenburg.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church with the Rev. Donald O'Brien officiating. Burial will be in the Floral Lawns Cemetery.

The North Platte Telegraph, December 8, 2001