Joseph and Pauline Warichar Memorial Fund

Est. 2006 as a scholarship fund by Donald and Joseph Warichar for graduating students of Derby High School.
Jump to Donation Form
June 23, 2006

This Fund was established by Donald and Joseph Warichar to honor their parents and currently supports a scholarship to a student from Derby High School. Upon additional gifts, the Fund will support numerous organizations.

More than 70 years ago, Joseph Warichar built his family home on Sentinel hill in Derby, an area filled with large farms and fields. He had a custom truck, complete with slanted bins and compartment doors, and would travel his daily routes bringing fresh fruit, vegetables and other goods to his customers. No matter the weather, Mr. Warichar was there, knocking on the door, carrying the order into the kitchen, and then was back in the truck for the next delivery. As the years passed, he included frozen foods on his list by adding a refrigerator to the back of the truck. At the end of the day, he'd simply charge the refrigerator through the night, so it would be cold and ready for the next day.

Joseph Warichar died in 1952 at the age of 49, leaving his wife Pauline, and four children ages 3 to 17 with no father, and no family income.

"My brother Joseph, who joins me as a donor for this Fund, was a freshman at UConn studying to be a pharmacist at the time of my father's death," said Donald Warichar, co-donor of the Joseph and Pauline Warichar Memorial Fund. "He had to leave school and work to support the family. He never became a pharmacist, but instead spent 43 years as a tool maker in Bridgeport until his retirement. Our parents always wanted all of us to go on to college, and this Fund is in part a tribute to them and how much they valued higher education."

"Back in the early '90s, we promised our mother that we'd start a scholarship Fund," said Joseph Warichar Jr. "We always intended to do something like this, and now we have the time and opportunity to work with the Valley Community Foundation to make this happen."


His brother agreed. "We grew up in Derby, went to school there, lived there, and feel we owe something to the community. This will start the process. A part of our estates will also be used to grow the Fund as well."

The endowed Fund will provide annual scholarships to a graduating student of Derby High School, to pursue his/her education at an accredited College or University, and who is planning to study in the fields of nursing, pharmacology, or agriculture. With the help of their attorney Mary Chromik, the brothers have also included provisions in their wills to add to the Fund. Upon the addition of these gifts from their estates, annual grants from the Fund will be used to establish additional scholarships and provide grants to other charitable organizations.

"Our mother sacrificed tremendously for all of us to get where we are today," said Donald Warichar. This Fund allows us to honor both of our parents for building a tradition of reading and learning in our family. We love to encourage others to learn, and this Fund will allow us to do just that."

To make a tax-deductible contribution to this fund, please complete the secure, online credit card form below:

Make a donation

Joseph and Pauline Warichar Memorial Scholarship Fund