Bob Derr lived a full, meaningful life filled with service to others. His family has come up with a way to continue Derr's committed work posthumously.

For Coach Derr, a memorial scholarship fund is one of the sincerest forms of flattery.

"I think my dad was a unique individual," said Bree Arvia. "I think the number of lives my dad impacted was significant, and he did it in a very humble way. It was never about him. When you have an individual with such high qualities, it can be inspiring."

With the help of family and friends, Arvia is spearheading the Robert "Bob" Derr Memorial Scholarship Fund. It's been almost a year now since, Derr, a native and resident of Lititz, passed away after serving the local community as a teacher, coach and official for nearly five decades.

"He was a man of many different quotes, and oftentimes he'd start a practice with a quote or end a year with a poem," said Arvia. "We all have an opportunity to make an impact. It might be great or small. But living a life of integrity and respect and having the ability to make a difference was who my dad was all about. He wanted to bring out the best in everyone he met. He just had a really unique way to motivate people and inspire them."

From a developmental perspective, the Robert "Bob" Derr Memorial Scholarship Fund is in the infancy stages. The fund is being managed through the Lancaster County Community Foundation, and the memorial scholarship has already received donations, but yet to be determined is who the scholarship will be awarded to, the exact criteria for receiving the scholarship and how often the funds will be distributed.

"We've been in communication with the Lancaster County Community Foundation, and we've been working with the staff and guidance department at Warwick to determine what's best for what our family wants," said Arvia. "We just need to iron out those details. It's kind of like, 'More to come in the near future.' The money will continue to be held at the community foundation. Our goal is to raise funds for the scholarship."

"We want the fund to live on in perpetuity," continued Arvia. "Through investments, you can grow it. We want it to be around year after year, for years beyond our life expectancies. We had some generous individuals make donations after his passing. It's a way for us and the community to honor him and remember him."

Following the establishment of the Robert "Bob" Derr Memorial Scholarship Fund upon his passing on Nov. 11, 2024, a fundraiser organized by Ron Rose - whose daughter Jessica Shellenberger played field hockey for Derr - was held at Lancaster Bible College in August. Several thousand dollars were raised for the scholarship fund.

"Here's why it's important: He taught so many kids much more about life than just field hockey, wrestling or track and field," said Rose. "He taught them to be on time. He taught them to be honest. He taught them things all good parents would teach their kids. He was a wonderful man. He sacrificed so much to help our children to succeed. He taught kids about life in a different setting."

"After he died - even before he died - we as a family were wanting to honor him in a meaningful way," said Arvia. "A scholarship fund is a meaningful way for us to give back. When our family was trying to figure out a way to honor his memory, we thought of a scholarship fund."

During his 49 years at the Warwick School District, Derr taught health and physical education and coached field hockey, wrestling and track and field.

"The goal is to award a scholarship this spring," said Arvia. "It's to help impact the community in the future. That's who my dad really was as a husband, father and coach. We really want his legacy to continue. He started youth field hockey in our area. It didn't matter if (players) lived in Warwick. He was committed to young people moving and being active."

"We're not actively soliciting donations," she added. "It's pretty much word of mouth right now."

For additional information and to donate, go to http://www.lancfound.org/fund/robert-bob-derr-memorial-scholarship-fund.