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Derrick John Meister |
| October 27, 1990 ~
February 8, 2012 |
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February 18, 2012 |
 Derrick
John Meister died on February 8, 2012, at the
age of 21.
Derrick was born on October 27, 1990 in Eureka,
California. He moved with his family to Bonners
Ferry in 1998 and attended Valley View
Elementary, Mt. Hall and Bonners Ferry Junior
High, then graduated from the Idaho Virtual
Academy with honors in 2008. He completed the
CNA program with North Idaho College, and at the
time of his death he was attending NIC with
future plans to become a physician.
He volunteered with Habitat for Humanity,
participating in an alternative spring break
project in western Washington.
Derrick was a deep thinker and a gentle soul,
with an outrageous sense of humor and wit. His
presence at family dinners, holidays and trips
was not only enjoyable but something we looked
forward to -- he made life fun.
Derrick is the irreplaceable thread in the
fabric of this family we always counted on for
support with projects, care and a shoulder … we
can’t be whole without him. Our memories of
Derrick will remain a beautiful garden of light,
trees, flowers and wonder.
Derrick studied Buddhism and was the youngest
student to ever be accepted into a program led
by a Lama. Derrick wanted to become a Lama, an
Eastern version of a therapist in our western
culture. In accordance with his Buddhist
beliefs, Derrick was the defender of all living
creatures. Derrick’s brother-in-law sums
Derrick’s nature up saying, “Derrick could feel
the pain of all living things because he cared
so much about everything and everyone he came
into contact with.”
We will miss Derrick and regret his absence from
our lives forever. We are so sorry that such a
gentle soul is gone. The world lost a beautiful
brightness with his passing, but we are
confident in faith that he is contained and
comforted within God’s arms; in tribute to
Derrick the following was his favorite song, “In
My Father’s House” by Eric Bibb.
"You might been raised on the block, You mighta
wandered here from far, But no matter where you
come from, No matter who you are, You don't need
no ID, You don't need no membership cards, Well,
you know you're always welcome, In my Father's
house, You might be a child of the streets, You
might be rich man's son, An' no matter what
you're doin,' No matter whatcha done, When you
got nowhere to hide, Got nowhere to run, Well,
you know you'll find shelter, In my Father's
house, When you're lonely an' discouraged, An'
misery has no end, When you need that helpin'
hand, An' no-one wants to lend, When you're
beggin' for a friend Yes, you know you're gonna
find one In my Father's house. When you're
mistreated in this world Like a stranger in your
own land, When the chains around your heart, Are
just too much to stand, When heaven's just a
word, An' hell is close to hand, Come an' lay
your burden down In my Father's house”
Derrick is preceded in death by his father,
David Frank Meister, his grandfather, Fred Just,
Grandmother Helen Meister and his uncles Kevin
and Timothy Just. He is survived by his mother,
Leah Meister, his brother, David Joseph Meister,
and his sister, Jessica Harbke; nephew Nicodemus
Harbke, grandmother Donna Just and uncles Fred,
Jamie and Brian Just and Aunt Margie Corcoran,
and numerous cousins.
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