Submitted by: Dan Rich

Evelyn Derda

Feb. 5, 1918 - Oct. 6, 2008

South Bend Tribune 10-8-2008
SOUTH BEND - Evelyn Derda, 90, of South Bend, passed away on Monday, Oct. 6, 2008, in St. Paul's Retirement Community, South Bend. She was born on February 5, 1918, in South Bend, to the late Valentine and Maryanna (Graf) Pajakowski, and was a lifelong area resident. On May 20, 1939, as Evelyn Pajakowski, she married Joseph M. Derda, who preceded her in death on June 20, 2002. Along with her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Justine Derda-Skarbek; a sister, Gertrude Botka; and by five brothers, Eugene Paige, Clem, John, Edwin and Joseph Pajakowski, all of South Bend. She is survived by her son, Paul J. (Janice) Derda of New Carlisle; four grandchildren, Tom (Janis) Skarbek, Cathy (Jim) Henning, Julie Burnett and Joe Derda; nine great-grandchildren, Kailey and Sydney Skarbek, Joey, Audrey and James Henning, Morgan and Brady Burnett, Josilyn and Jacob Derda; and by a sister, Eugenia Nowicki of South Bend. Mrs. Derda worked for Bellvelle Bakery for 10 years and the South Bend Community School Corporation for 15 years. She was a parishioner of St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church, New Carlisle, and a previous parishioner of St. Adalbert Catholic Church where she had belonged to the Harvest House and Sisters Auxiliary.