ARCO regrets to inform its members of the death of Commandant Derek Gaynor of Naas, County Kildare, on 17th March 2024, peacefully at Naas General Hospital. Beloved husband of Betty, loving dad of Lynn, Andrew and Stephen and adored brother of the late Paul. Derek will be sadly missed by his loving wife and children, grandchildren Hannah, Tom, Aoife and John, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, extended family, Defence Forces comrades and friends.
May Derek Rest In Peace
Derek Gaynor was born on 5th September 1952 and completed his secondary education with the Presentation Brothers in Carrick-on-Shannon. He enlisted in the Defence Forces on 20th October 1970 as a member of 45 Cadet Class. Derek was commissioned on 25th September 1972 into the Signal Corps, later the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps and was posted to 1 Field Signals Company in Cork. He later served in Depot Signals in the Curragh Training Camp in a variety of appointments and in the Corps Directorate in Dublin. His final posting was with Defence Forces Headquarters Signals Company.
Overseas Derek served in Lebanon in 1978 as Signals Officer with 43 Infantry Battalion of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and was Chief Signals Officer UNIFIL in 1996. He served as a military observer on two tours of duty: firstly with the United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA) during the period December 1989 to December 1990; and then with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) from September 1993 to April 1995. A noted Track and Field athlete, Derek was the All-Army Hammer Throw Champion in 1989. Derek retired from the Defence Forces in September 1998 in the rank of Commandant to take up an appointment in Maynooth University and went on to become Head of Strategic Procurement and Compliance there.
Reposing at his home on Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm with Prayers at 6.30pm. Funeral on Thursday morning with Requiem Mass at 11am in The Church of The Irish Martyrs, Ballycane, Naas (eircode W91 K6CT) and afterwards to Newlands Cross Crematorium.
Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to The Irish Cancer Society: https://donors.cancer.ie/page/FUNMTNWKDWV
Members may wish to leave personal messages in the ‘Condolences’ section of Derek’s death notice on rip.ie – https://rip.ie/death-notice/derek-gaynor-kildare-naas-550537
