Derek Johnstone Smith, 64, passed away on the 3rd of May 2026. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Raffaella; his daughter, Rebecca, whom he called Rebel; his older brother, Steve Smith; his sister-in-law, Kathy Smith; and his nephews, Sol Smith and Darrell Smith.
Born on the 25th of January 1962, he was proudly Scottish and grew up between Scotland, Japan, Spain, and France. Derek lived most of his life at sea and in yacht engine rooms. He studied Marine Engineering and served in the British Merchant Navy. Some of his major accomplishments include working aboard the Rosenkavalier as Chief Engineer, crossing the Atlantic Ocean aboard Invader in the late 1990s, and being served a beer by Eric Clapton at a small pub in the Caribbean.
Derek lived by the mantra, “Adapt, improvise, overcome.” He loved the art of slow living: cooking his signature Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino while listening to Stevie Nicks and sitting outside in good weather with a cigarette. Derek was an avid reader and, in his younger years, loved photography. He was a polyglot and loved telling stories about all the people he met throughout his life around the world.
Derek will be remembered as someone who had faith in others and always had time for a good chat, whether with friends or strangers.
To honor Derek, the family welcomes donations in his name to one of the charities close to his heart:
-The Salvation Army or your local homeless shelter
-Susan G. Komen (breast cancer organization)
-Abandoned Pet Rescue or any other no-kill shelter
-The Ocean Cleanup
Arrangements entrusted to Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care
© 2026 Boyd Panciera. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Maria Dangelo
May 31, 2026, 12:30 am
Ci dispiace immensamente Raffaella e Rebecca!!!
Sentite condoglianze dalla famiglia tutta 🫶
Darrell Smith
May 31, 2026, 4:17 am
In Memory of Derek
I remember Uncle Derek, although I only met him a small number of times throughout my life. As a child, I thought he was like a swashbuckling pirate, sailing around the world and returning with stories of yachts, distant places, and adventure.
I first met him during a family visit to Scotland. He played with me and my brothers, pushing us on the swings and sharing treasured toys he had carefully dug out of the attic. To us, he seemed larger than life — a man whose world stretched far beyond the horizon.
One year, for my birthday, Derek gave me a copy of The Odyssey by Homer. Looking back, it seems a fitting gift, because Derek himself was always on a journey. The sea was never just where he travelled; it was part of who he was.
One of Derek’s greatest accomplishments was marrying the wonderful Raffaella. Their wedding here in New Zealand was a joyful occasion filled with laughter, friendship, and celebration. I still remember Derek and his best man Colin dressed proudly in their kilts, enjoying the company of family and friends.
Before long, Derek was back at sea, but his family continued to grow with the arrival of Rebecca. News of Derek would occasionally find its way to us. I always knew he was somewhere in the world, sailing, exploring, and living the adventurous life he loved.
His mother, Ethyljoy, was immensely proud of him. I remember her showing me an article Derek had written about sailing and the importance of keeping logbooks. It reflected the thoughtful and knowledgeable sailor he had become.
While we carried on with our lives in New Zealand, Derek was always out there somewhere beyond the horizon. Through occasional Facebook posts and family updates, there never seemed to be any urgency to catch up. Like many families, we somehow believed there would always be more time. After all, people like Derek seemed destined to keep sailing forever.
Then one day my father rang and told me that Derek had died.
The news came as a shock. Derek had always felt like a constant presence in the world — a man on another voyage, in another port, with another story still to tell. It seemed impossible that his journey had come to an end.
Derek will always be my uncle in my eyes. His passing brings sadness, not only for the memories we shared, but for the moments that will now never be. My thoughts are especially with Rebecca as she mourns the loss of her father, and with all those whose lives were touched by him.
Moments like this remind us of both the beauty and fragility of life. We remember the adventures, the laughter, the stories, and the people we love. Derek’s voyage may have ended, but the memories he leaves behind continue to sail on in all of us.
Fair winds and following seas, Uncle Derek.
Darrell, Marijke, Gaia and Felix
Terri Tandy
May 31, 2026, 7:15 pm
Rest in peace dearest Derek. I will never forget the night we met and consequently had two of the happiest years of my life. I’m so happy we remained it touch – all be it on and off – Chris and I will always be grateful that you got to chat to each other. But you both agreed Stevie Nicks rules x
Katia Lazzerini
June 3, 2026, 8:31 pm
Resterai per sempre nei nostri cuori,i ricordi dei momenti passati insieme non svaniranno felici di averti conosciuto ciao Derk!
Debora
June 4, 2026, 1:42 pm
Ciao Derek, ha causa della lontananza il nostro rapporto é stato limitato. Marito della mia migliore amica(sorella) e di mia nipote é per me un grande rammarico non averti potuto conoscere meglio. Confida in me per la presenza e il supporto alla tua famiglia che in questo momento di profondo dolore ti rimpiange. Ciao Derek
Giuseppe/Mariangela
June 4, 2026, 2:12 pm
E’ mancato un amico sincero. Sicuramente troppo presto. Anche se ci vedevamo raramente i momenti passati insieme con te rimarranno indelebili nei nostri ricordi.
Cailean
June 5, 2026, 4:57 am
A sad passing of a friend who enriched the lives of all those fortunate enough to meet him and his family. He loved being on any boat, and many happy hours were spent sailing on the Clyde or sitting on the roof of the house in Kilcreggan listening to Stevie Nicks, Heart and Lynard Skinnerd . One of kind, you will be missed by many . Ciao
Sabina
June 5, 2026, 4:46 pm
Bellissima descrizione…era una persona veramente in gamba, una brava persona …non meritava di andar via ancora giovane. Che riposi in pace e che possa vegliare su di voi..te e Rebecca, che possa starvi vicino sempre, con la sua anima…ovunque sia. 💙💙💙
Un forte abbraccio ❤️
Terri
June 5, 2026, 11:53 pm
Sending my love and deepest sympathy to my dear friend Raffa and her beautiful daughter, Rebecca. Looking at the many beautiful photos, I am reminded of the wonderful early years you had and the deep bond of love that always remained. While I mostly knew Derek through your stories, his brilliant mind, his passion for the sea, and his immense love for his “Rebel” always shone through so clearly. Raffa and Rebecca, I am sending you both so much love, strength, and comfort. May Derek find smooth seas and rest in peace.