Derek Cowley died, aged 86, on 29 October 2010 after a short period in hospital. Although it was found that he was suffering from cancer in multiple organs and had suffered two strokes, he lived independently until three weeks before he died, having visited Australia, Turkey, Egypt and Moscow in the previous 18 months. Derek enjoyed an active retirement of over 26 years, yet continued to undertake online CPD via the BDA and attend dental and aeronautical lectures. The photograph is of him gliding a few weeks before his death, for the first time in over 60 years.

Derek was born on 2 October 1924 in Hull, the eldest of three brothers, all of whom followed their father, Richard Lawton Cowley, in taking up dentistry as a career.

He joined the RAF as soon as he could during WWII and completed training as a pilot in South Africa and Rhodesia, just as the war finished. He then returned to the UK and studied dentistry at Leeds University, joining his two brothers in practice in Hull following their father's death in 1953. The practice dissolved in the late 1970s and Derek continued practising both NHS and privately until he retired on his sixtieth birthday. Over 10% of the population of Hull were patients of the Cowley brothers during that time.

In 1973, Derek was president of the Yorkshire branch of the BDA and he represented the BDA on the Court of the University of Hull until his death.

He shared a love of travel with his wife, Helen, who died in 2008, and had visited all 50 US states as well as many countries around the world.

He was married for nearly 60 years and leaves two children (Peter and Susan) and two grandchildren (Matt and Alan). Another child and a grandchild predeceased him. Peter may be contacted on mail@petercowley.org.

Our thoughts are with them as our memories of Derek remain.