Beloved friend, son, husband, and cherished dad, Derek Dexter Sway, 35, of Moorhead, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2020, at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo,
North Dakota due to complications from pneumonia and a lung infection.
Derek was born to David and Kathy Sway of Moorhead, Minnesota on October 4, 1985. His
mile-wide smile and heart of gold blessed those around him from a young age. When his
younger brother Koby came along, the two of them were best buddies from the start. During his
childhood, Derek's Grandpa Roger taught him to fish, a hobby he continued enjoying throughout
his life. He looked forward to weekend getaways at Devil's Lake, North Dakota, and loved
showing his daughter's Tessa and Cora how to hook a worm, and looked forward to teaching his
son Noah the craft. At Moorhead High School (Class of 2004), Derek was an avid hockey player
and golfer, with a backswing that made him look like a pro. Most recently, he was able to get in
a few rounds during a Montana family vacation. A sports fan in general, he enjoyed cheering on
the Minnesota Wild Hockey, Minnesota Gopher Hockey, NDSU Bison Football, and the
Minnesota Vikings.
During high school, Derek started working at Hornbacher's as a bag boy and soon began
climbing the ranks, reaching a manager position in several departments throughout his 17 years
of employment. His work family was like a second family, and he always looked forward to
volunteering on the annual United Way fundraising team.
Derek met Kay Mitchell in 2012 at a nutrition shake store. Once he saw her, he knew he would
marry her. Soon he began visiting her store more and more frequently until he worked up the
courage to ask her on a date. From that moment on, he was devoted to her in every way and
cherished their relationship dearly, including stepping into the role of father to Kay's 5-year-old
niece, Tessa. Derek and Kay married in Moorhead on February 20, 2016, in a beautiful, sparkly,
and snowy ceremony. That day, nothing could remove his enormous smile spread across his face
as he knew he married the love of his life.
In 2015, Derek and Kay moved their family to Halstad, Minnesota, where they purchased their
first house and with a lot of elbow grease, made it into a home. A couple of years later, they
welcomed their daughter, Cora Anastasia in November 2017. They cherished their time in
Halstad but decided to return to Moorhead in 2019, and in January 2020, they welcomed their
son Noah Allen. Derek's calling in life was being a father. He adored his three children and
worked tirelessly to provide a good home for them and create memories together. He was the
kind of dad who got down on the ground to play, wrestle, read books, and snuggle. With Derek,
there was always an emphasis on family. As he grew into an adult, Derek stayed close with Dave
and Kathy, visiting their home often during the week and always placed importance on coming
together as a family for holidays and special celebrations. Derek was happiest when with his
family.
Mid-October, Derek fell ill and sought treatment at Sanford. His symptoms aligned with