Background
Derrick was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Derrick was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He studied at Latter- Day Saints (Mormons) Business College and received an engineering degree from the University of Utah and established a steel manufacturing company in Utah.
He later served on the board of regents of the University of Utah and received an honorary doctorate from university in 1965. In 1973, he was awarded the Jesse Knight Industrial Citizenship Award from Brigham Young University (Brigham Young University). From 1973 to 1976, Derrick was president of the church"s England Leeds Mission, and from 1976 to 1977 he was president of the Ireland Dublin Mission.
In 1976, when the church"s First Quorum of Seventy was reconstituted, Derrick became one of the original members.
From 1980 to 1984, he was one of the seven presidents of the seventy. Derrick served as a general authority of the church until 1989, when he was designated as an emeritus general authority.
From 1984 to 1987, while serving as a general authority, Derrick was president of the Seattle Temple. The planetarium at Brigham Young University"s College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences is named the Royden G. Derrick Planetarium.
Derrick died at his home in Salt Lake City of causes incident to age.