Obituary for Derlin Lavern Proctor: April 19, 1956 to August 12, 2025

Derlin Lavern Proctor passed away at his home in Yerington, Nevada on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.  He was 69.

Derlin Lavern Proctor was born to Derlin Lamance and Wanda Christell Proctor on April 19, 1956 in Delano, California. He joined his sister Terry at home, and later his younger brother Larry was born.

The family moved many times when Derlin was a child, living at different times in Nevada, Wyoming and Alaska. The family settled in Yerington, Nevada in 1971, where Derlin graduated from Yerington High School in 1975.  After graduation, Derlin worked for a short time for the Forest Service near the California/Nevada border. He then took a job at a sprinkler factory in Carson City, where he met his first wife, Kim Keith. The two were married in Virginia City, Nevada on January 29, 1977. The pair then moved to Yerington, Nevada, where Derlin was employed by Anaconda Mine.  Derlin and Kim’s first daughter Kimberley was born on July 1, 1977. Over the next few years, the family resided for short periods in Gabbs, Nevada and Longview, Texas, finally settling in Battle Mountain, Nevada in 1979, where he was employed at Battle Mountain Gold. Their second daughter Kelly was born on August 15, 1980. After 20 years of marriage, Derlin and Kim divorced.  

Derlin met his second wife Debbie Sondermann in Battle Mountain in 1997. The next year, the couple moved to Yerington, and married on December 22, 2001 in Reno, Nevada. Derlin worked many jobs in Yerington over the following years, at the Air Force Base in Hawthorne, at Hodges Trucking doing semi truck tire testing, as a guard at the Rite of Passage boys prison, and as a janitor for the Lyon County School District. Due to his declining health, he became disabled and retired early in 2019.

Throughout his life, Derlin had many hobbies and interests. He played little league baseball and football in high school. As a young man, he enjoyed riding dirt bikes, playing horseshoes, building small rockets and model airplanes. He could often be found camping at lakes all over Northern Nevada, ice fishing in winter and boat fishing in summer, using flies he had tied himself. He had a green thumb, growing a garden every year. He was always the funnest dad at the water park or swimming pool. In his 30’s, he discovered golf, and spent many days on the golf course with his father, uncle, and friends. Once he became disabled, he sorely missed fishing and golf, but took up playing Playstation games, drawing, and constructing doll houses from matchsticks and toothpicks. Derlin always loved the holidays, dressing up for Halloween and helped organize the spook house at a local church. He went all-out decorating his home and yard for Christmas every year. Derlin was called Uncle Do by his nieces and nephews and Grandpa Do by some of his grandchildren, since they had trouble pronouncing his name. 

Derlin was preceded in death by his mother Chris, Uncles Vern and TL, cousin Martin, and his nephew Brandon.  He is survived by his wife Debbie, father Lamance and brother Larry of Yerington, Nevada; sister Terry of Longview, Texas; daughter Kim (Cory) of Winnemucca, Nevada; daughter Kelly (Mario) of Nampa, Idaho; stepchildren Bert Sondermann of California and Melissa Lamb of Arkansas; nieces Shae, Shonna, Cherlyn, and Kristen; nephew Justin; 11 grandchildren; and 2 great grandchildren, with another on the way.  

As were Derlin’s wishes, no memorial will be held. He will be interred with his family in Yerington at a later date. Thank you to Eden Hospice for their assistance to Derlin and his family.

Arrangements and cremation was under the direction of Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, 25 Hwy 208 Yerington, NV 89447 (775) 463-2911