Derek Edward McLane

March 5, 1964 - October 12, 2020

Derek Edward McLane, 56, of Mesick (formerly Mayville), was taken home on Monday, October 12th, 2020, at 6:28pm, at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, with his family by his side. He was born March 5th, 1964, in Caro, MI and raised in Mayville, MI by his parents, Edward and Elma (LeValley) McLane with his siblings Mark McLane and Cindy (McLane) Eveleigh. He grew up in a great neighborhood and community where he enjoyed being a kid. He attended Mayville Schools where he played in little league baseball and played basketball for many years. He graduated with honors in 1982. He went on to attend Saginaw Valley State University and U of M Flint. He taught school for a total of 30 years and the majority of those years at Mayville Community Schools in Special Education and History/Social Studies. During his teaching tenure at Mayville Community Schools, he coached the girls middle school basketball teams, volunteered with student events and made cakes for his students to enjoy. Derek retired in June 2015 and moved to the Traverse City area to live closer to his family and enjoy northern Michigan. He enjoyed living on the Manistee River. Throughout Derek’s life, he was an avid hunter and fisherman who truly enjoyed the peace of being in the woods and outdoors. He attended many concerts, enjoyed listening to music and dancing. He loved growing a garden and sharing with others the harvest of his vegetables. Other joys in his life were watching sports and supporting U of M “Go Blue!” and the Detroit Tigers “Let’s Go Tigers!” playing cards, making and eating good food, helping others, spending time with family and friends, traveling to Hawaii and Alaska, and most recently spending winters at his second home in Florida. Derek wanted to be remembered as a person who truly loved, appreciated and felt blessed to have the family and friends who were a part of his life. He cherished being an Uncle to Miranda, Kate and Alex. He felt blessed for the life that he was given and enjoyed having a good time. Derek is survived by his mother and step-dad, Elma (LeValley) McLane-Gunning and Jack Gunning of Traverse City, MI; brother, Mark McLane and his fiancé Jill Auger of Traverse City, MI; sister, Cindy (McLane) Eveleigh and brother-in-law Steve Eveleigh of Traverse City, MI; his nieces Miranda McLane and Kate Eveleigh; nephew Alex Eveleigh; his special friend Wendy Green of Chatham, Ontario; as well as extended family members and life-long friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Edward John McLane of Mayville, MI; grandparents Alvin “Mac” and Pearl McLane of Mayville, MI and John and Mabel LeValley of Caro, MI. A Celebration of Derek’s life will be held at 11AM, Saturday, November 7th, 2020 at the First Congregational Church, 6105 Center Road, Traverse City, MI 49686. Visitation begins at 10AM and will continue until the time of service. The family kindly asks that safe social distancing and wearing a face covering be observed. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611, or online at, https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/PFFTribute/DerekEdwardMcLane, or the First Congregational Church of Traverse City. Please reference Derek’s name in your memorial contributions. If you wish to share a memory on Derek’s tribute page, visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com