Derick Pitts

PALM BAY, FL / TUPELO, MS – Derick Pitts passed away on Thursday, March 26 in his home in Melbourne, Florida after a 526 day battle with brain cancer. Born Ralph Frederick Pitts III, on March 10, 1968, he lived to be 52 years old. He was also known as DERICK! to his co-workers and friends, and he is survived by Speedy, his Mazda Miata convertible and hundreds of friends and family. He was a big brother and was completely responsible for embedding in his little brother, Daron Pitts, a passion for music by cranking up the radio in whatever vehicle they were in at the time; the 1975 Buick station wagon named “The White Stag” or the 1990 red Toyota Celica named “The Roach”. He was “Uncle Derick” to Cassidy Pitts Swinney and McKinney Pitts, as well as “Great Uncle Derick” to Caroline Grace Swinney.  Nephew to Norman and Cindy Pitts; cousin to Creighton and Caralee; and crazy “uncle” to the rest of the  “Jackson Pitts” clan. DERICK!  Never attended a family wedding or holiday event where he didn’t mess someone’s hair up while hugging them, and always refusing to ever wear a tie.

A graduate of Tupelo High School in 1986, and a graduate of “the” University of Mississippi in 1990 (Hotty Toddy!) DERICK! Remained the “bestest” friend to so many of his high school friends.  Always the life of the party! And his home always open to visit.

DERICK! began his passionate climb up the corporate ladder in the world of radio. After working at Tupelo’s very own Z99, KZ103, Wizard106 and 92JAMZ (yes, no style of music was outside of his repertoire), DERICK! ignored Hurricane Andrew in 1992 while dropping the beats as a DJ on the Carnival Cruise Line ship, Celebration.  After a brief stint at STAR 98 FM in Memphis from 1993 to 1996, he returned to Florida to slay more hurricanes, always “prepared” (as the Boy Scout Eagle) and a shelter for anyone, especially if you had a dog!  He loved those dogs!

For DERICK! there was also never a job position at a radio station that he could not do, had not done, was not the best at doing or he had not encouraged and helped others to be the best at. He was an on air personality, a sales manager, an internet marketer, the guy at the street intersection in a dress to raise awareness for a charity, the brain behind fundraisers, the setup crew leader, the program manager, the promotions director and on-site remote guy. DERICK! was also the inspiration to many, many interns who wanted to have the same passion for radio and music that they saw him live out every day. DERICK! interviewed for radio jobs by delivering pizzas with his name spelled out in pepperoni, did sit-ins with signage in radio station lobbies to meet the station manager, and sent best practice ideas to station managers where he didn’t even work. His passion for the charity “Jingle Jet” helped families during Christmas, who have experienced undue hardship by providing them with a holiday experience and a lifetime of memories.

DERICK! Loved living so close to Cape Canaveral and those space shots. He trekked many a day to the Cape to watch a launch of space shuttles and numerous rockets.  He’d even video them from his back yard when he was unable to drive up there, and share them with friends and family.

As much as radio and music meant to him, nothing meant as much to him as his parents Fred and Carol Pitts did (even though they named him Ralph). “Best Parents Ever” was how he would introduce them during their many treks down to “the motherland” of Florida to see him.  If DERICK! ever sacrificed himself by leaving Florida to come see you, consider yourself loved. His heart was on the beaches of Florida. His soul flourished on the beach. His smile grew and his joy was rooted in sand.   Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and South Beach all had the pleasure of sharing their beach (and jobs at radio stations) with DERICK! During his last weeks. DERICK! was able to go to the beach one last time surrounded by friends and family. His body weakening and fading away, the sound of the waves and the smell of salt water encouraged everyone, knowing once again amongst the “everything will be alright” moniker he would always repeat concerning his brain cancer, DERICK! was joyful.

Search Spotify for the user “mx5dolphin” and listen to the playlist “BRAIN’D/ Jai” to hear the sounds that ushered him onto heaven’s beaches. It’s all there.  Pop, country, rock, blues, big band, Christian, gospel, metal, rap, classic-rock.  DERICK! lived his life just like he played his music – cranked up to eleven. He could tell you every lyric, the song writer, the album it was on and the date and how high it ranked, on the top 40 (and if it really deserved to be there). As he laid in his bed after midnight, on March 26, with his random/repeat Spotify playlist playing on his phone beside his head, the Creator-DJ spinned one of his greatest hits – Rich Mullin’s song, “Awesome God”. As the song played and the lyrics rang out “Our God is an awesome God, He reigns, from Heaven above, with wisdom, power and love, our God is an awesome God”, DERICK! moved from a home hospice bed to Heaven surrounded by the best parents ever and dearest friend Mo (Maureen Flynn).  Fittingly, the next song that randomly played was Kim Boyce from her 1988 Time & Again album, that said,  “I just want to celebrate, another day of living. I just want to celebrate, another day of life”.

You can now help celebrate his life, give to Jingle Jet in memory of DERICK! PITTS. Visit http://zazzacommunity.org/projects/jingle-jet/ for more.

Be a part of his virtual funeral visitation celebration of his life by visiting www.derickpitts.com. A small family service will be held at Holland Funeral Home on Friday, April 10th, with Dr. John G. Armistead officiating.

Now…go get in your car, and crank up your favorite song, roll down your windows and join his family and friends in celebrating the life of DERICK! by playing, listening to, and sharing his first love – MUSIC.