Thomas A. DeReda passed away on Monday September 26th in his home after a long illness surrounded by his family and friends.
Born in Worcester, he was the son of late Thomas J. DeReda and his late mother Marie DeReda Dirsa. Tom is survived by his sisters Cynthia DeReda of Worcester, Robin DeReda of Las Vegas, NV and his brother Robert Dirsa of Worcester. He also leaves behind his nieces and nephews, three godchildren and many friends.
Tom was a Vietnam War era Veteran joining the Navy in 1973 where he was a Boatswain’s Mate. He mostly enjoyed traveling the globe which enabled him to visit many countries and experienced new cultures. His favorite visit was a brief stop in Rome, Italy. Often times when speaking to Tommy, he would tell the stories of his journeys of how he has seen the world twice and how he enjoyed the tour.
Tom also studied Martial Arts for over forty years. He achieved his second degree Black Belt in 1979 under the direction of R. Kenny Johnson formerly of Worcester. Tom’s weapon of choice was the nunchaku’s and was very skilled with its use.
Tom was a skilled mechanic with traits he acquired through carriers at Van Dorn formally of Worcester, Elkay Products formerly of Shrewsbury, Gentex Optics of Dudley, MA and Accutech Plastics formally of Marlborough, MA. Tom retired in 2004 due to health issues however continued to be active in maintenance repair throughout his retirement. You could often find him working on someone’s failed appliance or electronic devise at the John J. Curran Terrace apartments were Tom resided. Tom had the “Never give up” mentality throughout his entire life. Tommy’s biggest wish was to re-enter the workforce to continue his camaraderie with his friends and co-workers.
His hobbies included bowling, swimming and playing billiards. He also enjoyed short day trips and spending time with friends and family. He was always up for a game of Yahtzee with his sister Cynthia, Domino’s with close friend Anibal, or a game of cribbage with anyone willing to loose. Tommy met his match when his friend Keith entered his life. He would boast about how good he could swim or play pool, only to be defeated often. If you were lucky enough to find Tom on Facebook you could message him but most often it would take some time before a response would be seen. He would be busy playing Domino’s or Candy Crush before he noticed the message.
Calling hours will be Saturday October 1, 2016 from 9-10AM at CALLAHAN FAY & CASWELL Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester, followed by a brief prayer service. Burial will be at Notre Dame Cemetery, 162 Webster St.,Worcester. In lieu of flowers all are asked to make a donation to American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-227-2345. To view his online memorial, please visit us on Facebook at Callahan Fay Caswell Lindquist Funeral Homes