Bernadette Derby

Bernadette Harrigan Derby, formally of Malone, New York died on March 22, 2017 in Walnut Creek California at John Muir Hospital after contracting pneumonia. She was 90 years old.

Born July 28, 1926 in Saranac Lake, New York she was the daughter of Lauretta and Michael Harrigan who predeceased her. Bernadette had two brothers, both long-time residents of the Tri-Lake Area (Michael “Mickey” Harrigan and Ronald “Ronnie” Harrigan) who predeceased her as well.

Bernadette married Leo Edward Derby on April 27,1957 and the couple eventually moved to Malone, built a house and raised two children – Steven and Lori. Leo died in 2001 and Bernadette moved away out of New York to California to be closer to her children and grandchildren.

As a girl and young woman in Saranac Lake, Bernadette was a talented figure skater who trained in Lake Placid while she took care of her mother who was disabled until her mother’s death in 1955. During her time in Malone, Bernadette worked for many years as a Divisional Clerk at Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital and before her marriage to Leo as a telephone operator for New York Bell.

Bernadette is survived by her son Steven L. Derby and his wife Debbie of Walnut Creek, California and her daughter Lori A. El Hakim and her husband Mostafa of Tewksbury, Mass. She has six grandchildren Kevin, Alison and Nicholas Derby and Sarah, Sofia and Samira El Hakim.

Local arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A mass of Christian burial is tentatively set to take place at 10 AM on Saturday May 6th at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake. Burial to follow in St. Bernard’s Cemetery.