Valerie DePersis Honored For Fraternalism At Banquet

By Frank Winters

On Saturday, April 1, 2006, former Polish Falcons of America First National Vice President Valerie DePersis was honored for being named the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh’s Fraternalist of the Year with a banquet held in her honor at the Marriott City Center, located in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Valerie DePersis is pictured with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. Click to enlarge.

Among those in attendance included members from other fraternal organizations and representatives from the Polish Falcons, including National President Wallace Zielinski and National Secretary/Treasurer Timothy Kuzma. Also in attendance was Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell.

Druhna DePersis served as PFA First Vice President from 1992-1996. In addition, she has been a Nest 449, Pittsburgh, Pa., President, a Nest representative to District IV, and a former member of the Cultural Commission. Druhna DePersis first joined the Falcons as a member of Nest 100, Chicago, Ill., where she served as Vice President and Financial Secretary.

Throughout her life, Druhna DePersis was involved in physical fitness classes and activities. As a young woman, she was an active participant of a District Dance Group. In more recent years, she participated as a member of the Falconette Drill Team that performed at Falcon National Conventions, among other events.

Druhna DePersis was a past President of the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh, and she served as that organization’s Secretary from 1996-2005. She has also been a member of the League of Women Voters, serving as Vice President for four years, as Secretary for two years and as a Director for 10 years. In addition, she was a Chicago Catholic Women’s Coordinating Committee member for three years, along with being a part of the Polish American Congress as a member of the National Committee on Religious Affairs. Also, she was a member of the Loyola University President’s Advisory Board and the St. Xavier Advisory Council.

As a teacher in a Catholic girls high school, she assisted in the development and implementation of programs designed to instill confidence and pride. She enjoyed the love and respect of her many students. In her desire to upgrade the role of women, Druhna DePersis has established the DePersis-Urbanek Fellowship in Women’s History at Loyola University in Chicago. The Fellowship was established to support doctoral-level research in women’s history. To revere the memory of her late beloved mother, Valeria Krauspe, she established the “Valeria Krauspe Ministry Scholarship” at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. The Scholarship will be awarded biannually and will serve to celebrate and continue Valeria’s spirit of ministry.

Druhna DePersis received her Bachelor’s Degree in History from Loyola University and her Master’s Degree from St. Xavier. She assisted in the family funeral business for 25 years. She also taught in a Catholic high school for 14 years.

Druhna DePersis’s first husband, Edwin Wojciak, passed away in 1978, leaving her with four teenage children. Three of her children earned college degrees and the fourth served in the U.S. Marine Corps, participating in both wars in Iraq.

In 1990, Druhna DePersis married Edward DePersis. Together, they have eight children and are the proud grandparents of 16 grandchildren.

Druhna DePersis is the fourth Polish Falcons of America member to win this prestigious award, which has been given annually since 1976. Other members include Bernard B. Rogalski (1985), Theresa Klasnick (1991), and Thaddeus Kokoski (1993).