DEREK RICHARD MOORHEAD

Derek R. Moorhead, age 49, of Raymore, Missouri, passed away at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas on July 17, 2018. A Celebration of Life will be held starting at 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 30, at Centerview, 227 Municipal Circle, Raymore, MO 64083.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Missouri Puppy Mill Rescue ( www.mopuppymillrescue.org ).

Derek was born on July 30, 1968, in Tachikawa, Japan. He was the son of Richard Wayne Moorhead and Norine Iennaccaro.

On May 29, 1993, Derek married Tasha Kovich. Together, Derek and Tasha shared over twenty-five years of marriage.

Derek obtained his Juris Doctorate in 1996 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Right after school, he clerked for the Honorable Judge Harold Lowenstein at the Missouri Court of Appeals. Derek spent his work life as an attorney, professor and politician. He started a boutique firm, Larsen Moorhead LLC, in 1999 with a fellow law school classmate.  Musson, Moorhead and Rank, LLC, followed in 2003. He then worked at UMKC as an academic advisor before opening his own private practice. In January 2015, Derek became the Chief Executive Auditor for Cass County, MO.

Derek taught classes and led mock-trial teams at Avila University, Webster University, UMKC, Kansas State University and Washburn University. While being an attorney was his bread and butter, Derek's passion truly was teaching. His students held a special place in his heart. He learned just as much from them as they did from him. Many of them he called friends to this day.

Derek also thoroughly enjoyed politics. He took a lot of pride in working on George W. Bush's presidential campaign. This led to him helping with many local campaigns, especially in the roles of treasurer and advisor. After moving to Raymore 2010, he became involved in the planning and zoning commission, and then was elected to the City Council in 2013. He held this office for five years, also becoming the Mayor Pro Tem in 2015. Derek was designated by the MO Municipal Leagues as a Certified Municipal Official. He also was selected by the City of Raymore as a Civic Leader for 2018. As a telling story as to how Derek approached politics, whenever constituents voiced a concern, he would show up in person at their front door to discuss the issue. He cared about his community deeply.

Derek dearly loved spending time with his wife Tasha, daughter Rebecca and son Mark. Some of his personal pursuits and enjoyments included:  Bloom County, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Comicon, English soccer, the Tour de France, baseball games, football, sports cards and running errands on the weekend as a family.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Mark Moorhead.

Derek is survived by his father, Richard Wayne Moorhead; mother, Norine Iennaccaro; wife, Tasha Moorhead; daughter, Rebecca Moorhead and son, Mark Moorhead.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, MO. 816.322.5278