James “Derrek” Schlottmann passed away peacefully on April 19, 2020, in Gorham, Maine, with his wife, Heather, by his side.
Derrek was born January 11, 1969 in Wheatridge, Colorado to Gwendolynn Miller Simpson and William T. Simpson.
As a baby he lived in Evergreen, Colorado moving to California when his father was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base.
In 1978, his mother married, Jerome David (JD) Schlottmann, Jr. who adopted Derrek and his siblings, Richard and Angela.
JD was the father Derrek always wanted. They shared a special bond.
The family moved to Pearl Camp, Nevada, an old mining camp, in 1981.
Their nearest neighbors were eight miles away and the nearest town, Winnemucca, was 100 miles.
Derrek and siblings attended a one-room schoolhouse at Leonard Creek Ranch and later were home schooled.
In 1984, Derrek boarded in Winnemucca, while attending Albert Lowry High School. The family moved into Winnemucca in 1985. Derrek graduated in 1988.
Right after graduation, Derrek joined the United States Navy and completed Nuclear Reactor Operator School.
He was assigned to the USN Gurnard, a sturgeon-class submarine. While on the Gurnard his service took him to Japan, the Philippines, and Guam and under the Arctic Circle.
Completing his six-year stint with the Navy, he embarked on a new career servicing blood gas analyzers in hospitals throughout the United States.
He frequently traveled from his Los Angles office to the corporate office in Providence, Rhode Island.
In 1996 Derrek, and his then partner, Hilary Gravestock Jones, opened a bed and breakfast in the Admiral Peary House in Fryeburg, Maine. Derrek, who loved to cook, was the chef, preparing gourmet meals for the guests and at specialty events.
At the same time Derrek worked full-time for Downeast Bikes doing IT work and building custom bikes.
Derrek was an avid cyclist and loved going on long rides with his good friend Jan Newhouse. During this time, Derrek, also developed his love of craft beer and developed an elaborate basement brewery where he started brewing his own.
There was nothing he liked better than hanging out in the basement trying new beer recipes. He also loved guitars and was teaching himself to play.
After selling the inn, Derrek went to work for Kardex-Remstar, a German/Swiss Company.
There he oversaw the development of a global sales program which provided him with the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe and parts of Asia.
Derrek really enjoyed his work and loved to travel whether for professional or personal reasons.
Following his divorce, he met Heather Monegue in October 2018 and they just “clicked.” After dating only five months, they were devastated when Derrek was diagnosed with malignant brain tumors (glioblastoma.)
Heather proposed and they were married April 20, 2019.
Deciding to live their lives as if cancer didn’t matter, they continued to travel.
During their year-long marriage they went to Hilton Head, Mexico, Ireland, the western Caribbean and a 30-day tour of the country visiting family and friends, and Hawaii.
Derrek was an incredibly special person who brought joy and laughter into many people’s lives. His love of beer, cycling, good food, music, friends and traveling brought him close to many.
Derrek is survived by his soul mate/wife Heather Monegue Schlottmann, step children Rachel Monegue, Alec Monegue (Desiree) and granddaughter, Vanessa Avery Monegue; parents Gwendolynn and JD Schlottmann, sister, Angela M. Paxson, brother, Richard J. Schlottmann (Jennifer), adopted sister Wendy Bode (Jim); half- brother Nick Roper; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Due to the pandemic, a celebration of life will be held at a later date.
