Derek Lee Tharp, 38 of Danville died Friday, February 1, 2013 in Danville.

Born December 24, 1974 in Boyle County, he was a son of Marilyn Tharp of Junction City and Dudley Tharp of Georgia.

Derek was a 1993 graduate of Danville High School, a 2003 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and a member of the First Baptist Church. After graduating high school, Derek joined the United States Air Force serving for four years. While serving with the Air Force he was stationed in Somalia, Haiti and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 2005 Derek reenter the service with the Kentucky National Guard, the 123rd Armory Division. While with the National Guard, Derek served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2006-2008. After returning from Iraq he transferred to the Kentucky National Guard Unit in Danville.

Derek was a talented guitar player and loved writing music. He loved collecting comic books, baseball and sports cards, aviation, and going to the shooting range. His greatest love and accomplishment was his two children, Spencer and Linsey. Derek was passionate about serving his country for our freedom, something the Iraqi people will never experience. He was also an advocate of the military and taking care of our veterans and soldiers. He will be greatly missed by his family; he was truly a hero to each and every one of them.

In addition to his mother and father, Derek is survived by his two children, Spencer and Linsey Tharp of Junction City, his companion of five years, Erica Tolson and her daughter, Lindsay Tolson of Danville, and a brother and his wife, Douglas and Shannon Tharp of Louisiana. Also surviving are many loving Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

Services for Derek will be Thursday, February 7, 2013, 11:00 a.m., Wilder Funeral Home by Chaplin Majcher, with burial in Camp Nelson National Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by The Kentucky National Guard 103 BSB.

Visiting hours will be 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at the funeral home.

Members of the military will service as pallbearers.

You may visit Derek’s online guestbook at www.wilderfh.com.