Dr. Clyde Von Der Ahe

Funeral Mass was held Jan. 15 at Christ the King Church in Los Angeles for Dr. Clyde Von Der Ahe, 95, who died Jan. 4. An OB/GYN, Dr. Von Der Ahe had his own practice and also spent 50 years of dedication to St. Anne’s Maternity Home for pregnant, unwed mothers. Among the many honors he earned in his lifetime, he was a 2006 Cardinal’s Award recipient.

Born into the family that founded Vons grocery stores, Von Der Ahe attended St. Paul and St. Gregory Schools, Loyola High School and Loyola University, and graduated from St. Louis University’s School of Medicine in 1943. He served in the army during World War II caring for wounded soldiers in Naples with the 51st Evacuation Hospital, before returning to Los Angeles and beginning his residency at Queen of Angels Hospital in 1946.

In addition to his own practice and serving at various Catholic hospitals, most notably Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Von Der Ahe served for 30 years on the volunteer staff at L.A. County-USC Medical Center beginning in 1951. He was an active supporter of the Mission Doctors Association and, during his years of service with St. Anne’s, he was elected as the maternity home’s chief of medical staff and was eventually appointed to St. Anne’s board of directors.

Von Der Ahe’s other positions of distinction include: president, the Von Der Ahe Foundation; board of directors, Loyola High School; Mission Doctors Auxiliary, honoree; Christ the King parish and school, benefactor; and membership to the Knights of Malta, Knights of St. Gregory and the Holy Order of Sepulchre.

Family survivors include his wife, Peggy; eight children and spouses, Kathy (Pat) Whalen, John (Susan) Von Der Ahe, Clyde (Leslie) Von Der Ahe, Judy (John) Menne, Jean (Tom) Moore, Bill (Susan) Von Der Ahe, Peggy (Scott) Young, and Bob (Christina) Von Der Ahe; 16 grandchildren; and his sister, Dorothy, and her husband Ken Olsen.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Anne’s, 155 N. Occidental Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 and/or Mission Doctors Association, 3435 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1940, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

Maria Elena Pedroza, IHM

A Memorial Mass was held Jan. 22 at Sacred Heart Church in Covina for Maria Elena Pedroza, 86, who died Jan. 10 from complications of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. She had been a member of the Immaculate Heart Community for 64 years.

As a Sister of the Immaculate Heart, she taught at Our Lady Queen of Angels and St. Vibiana’s in Los Angeles. Those assignments were followed by Sacred Heart, Lancaster; Mission School in San Luis Obispo; St. Gertrude in Bell Gardens and Immaculate Conception in Colton.

Following the establishment of Immaculate Heart Community in 1970, she went on to teach with the Chino Unified School District at El Rancho School, retiring in 1994. She resumed teaching at St. Frances of Rome in Azusa until 1996, when she retired for good. She then volunteered at Ontario Airport, assisting travelers with information and guidance. In 1998, she received the Travelers Aid pin for 252 hours of service. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Pomona.