Dear
Derek,
It
is still with broken hearts every day we remember you, but rest
assured, your light still radiates all around us, your laughter still
rings in our ears, and your love and affection still rest deeply and
forever in our hearts. Today is like every day, yet another day
without your arm around our shoulder and you suggesting something
really fun to do. But on this day, now 12 years after you died, we’ll
spread your legacy a little wider by sharing the title of the article
written about you after you were gone. From the UVM Vermont Cynic newspaper, “The Lesson That Derek Schueler Taught Us”: “The
smile always came first.” It was all about your kindness and
friendliness. You lead the way into hundreds of hearts with that
amazingly warm and big-hearted smile of yours. And that is just one
of the many things we will be missing about you today and, as always,
every day.
Love,
Your
Mom & Family
This article appears in Aug 13-19, 2025.