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Derek in his shack with the Trio HF rig and a Cossor service 'scope on the shelf.
Derek Leonard Widdowson (G4ESQ) - 05/10/1944 Cheshire - 28/03/2022 Formby.
Derek was the youngest of three children and in 1950 was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The Diabetes caused Derek to miss significant time at school but one headmaster report said that Derek was above average intelligence.
In 1965 Derek started an apprenticeship as a radio/TV service engineer. In 1972 he had to leave the work that he so enjoyed - complications of the Diabetes had robbed him of his sight.
Weekend recreation at that time included fishing in the company of one of the staff. Over time his interests included music, dancing, reading, nature education and geography.
Derek had the ability to solve difficult situations and matters. He would do a great deal of thinking and did not use the word 'problem' but worked to find how he could resolve the issue.
Radio remained his main interest and in 1975 he gained his Amateur Radio Callsign after passing the Morse test. He operated on the HF bands, particularly 80 Metres, with QSOs in the UK, USA, Europe, Russia, Africa, the Caribbean et al.
We married in 1985 and purchased a bungalow which needed every aspect of the property attended to: wiring, ceilings, heating, plumbing etc. Bit by bit we did some of it ourselves - Derek always relished the challenge.
In 1990 Derek drew up plans to change the drive way, garage, paths and a wall. And through all of this he was studying, firstly O and A levels.
At Lancaster he worked for his Bachelor's degree in Psychology followed by a PGCE for teaching the 5 - 12 year age range.
Manchester University was the institution through which he attained his Master's MSc and some 60% of the work for an MA in education. All as a blind student with no computer but supported by guide dogs Zach, Youther and Ivan.
He loved teaching the nine year old children, many of whom wondered how he knew when xxxx was up to something. His passion was only to impart correct knowledge.
Derek's first computer was a BBC micro but his life was enhanced with a speech program called Jaws. This took considerable effort to master, but master it he did and it opened a wider world for reading and on-line access.
A remarkable man who I knew for 40 years.
Derek with his sister by the stone water fall pond he designed.
Maudie Widdowson, September 2022.
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