Derek Wayne Liebes

Derek Wayne Liebes, 36, of Roy, Utah, passed away on April 21st at 9:35 AM. Born in Logan, Utah, Derek lived a life defined by resilience, laughter, and an enormous heart for the people he loved.

Derek attended Bonneville High School, where he formed one of the most important friendships of his life with his lifelong best friend, Nathaniel Ford. He earned his GED in 2011 and went on to receive a certification in Industrial Automation from Ogden Weber Applied Technology College in 2019. He was always a natural and gifted learner, with a remarkable ability to rise quickly into leadership, becoming a manager, lead, or supervisor at every job he held. Even when he was no longer able to work, that drive never left him. He was the kind of person who could teach himself to sew overnight just to get decorative patches onto his favorite jacket and even learned how to take apart and repair his brothers’ PlayStations just to make them happy.

If Derek had one defining trait, it was that he simply would not quit. Those who loved him knew his stubbornness and his perseverance were one and the same. From the time he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age twelve, he faced health challenges that would have broken most people, and he met every one of them head on. When faced with his first leg amputation, he stunned his doctors by refusing any aids and walking on his prosthetic almost immediately. Even in his final days he always found ways to make those around him laugh, joking about being "on his last leg" and meeting every hardship with a grin. His mother Crystal could always count on hearing him say, "I'm fine," a phrase she loved to hate. His stubbornness wasn't a flaw. It was the engine that kept him going.

Derek had a passion for life that showed up in everything he did. He was an avid disc golfer, a devoted fan of superhero movies, Goosebumps, and Harry Potter, and a dedicated Legend of Zelda player. He completed a Pokémon card set featuring one card of every single species and made sure each of his beloved nieces had their own Pokémon collections to start. He loved to snowboard, knew how to have a good time, and was fiercely protective of his brothers, his sister, and his friends. Wherever Derek traveled, he brought back shot glasses to add to his ever-growing collection, and almost always returned with a funny trinket for someone he loved. He was always, without fail, the first person to text everyone he knew to wish them a happy birthday and never missed a holiday greeting.

Above all, Derek loved his family and his pugs: Keena Cannoli, Bug Bug, and Trinity (Squeak) with everything he had.

Derek is survived by his mother, Crystal Marlene Elmer; his father, Allen Harvey Elmer; his brothers, Douglas Andrew Barney II (married to Carly Phelps), Dakota Austin Barney (married to Teri Barney), and Damion Alexander Barney (engaged to Kylee Carroll); his sister, Chalissa Marlene Barney; and his nieces, London Rose, Isabella Louise, Brielle Spring, and Aria Marlene. He is also survived by his best friends, Nathaniel and Reanna Ford, and countless friends whose lives he touched deeply.

He was preceded in death by his biological father, Dennis Wayne Nash; his grandmother, Judith Ann Elmer; his grandfather, Donald Lee Liebes; his cousin, Mallory Lynn Ionne Blodgett; and his beloved pugs, Keena, Buggy, and Trinity.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Active Hospice and Derek's favorite nurse, Nicole, for their compassionate care.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the family home in Roy, Utah on Saturday, April 25th, from 1:00–4:00 PM. All who knew and loved Derek are welcome.