Changes

The retired Catholic priest August Thompson said that Derr was a positive force to spur area churches to recognize racial injustices and to promote [[civil rights]]. "She was someone I really respected, and I felt she had all kind of empathies and sympathies. A true lady, she was so sensitive to the fact of what was going on and what needed to be done to change things," said Father Thompson.<ref name=derr/>​

The retired Catholic priest August Thompson said that Derr was a positive force to spur area churches to recognize racial injustices and to promote [[civil rights]]. "She was someone I really respected, and I felt she had all kind of empathies and sympathies. A true lady, she was so sensitive to the fact of what was going on and what needed to be done to change things," said Father Thompson.<ref name=derr/>​

Derr served for more than a decade on the board of directors of the local Family Counseling Agency. She was president and chairman of the group called Church Women United in Central Louisiana. She was the first female [[deacon]] at First Presbyterian Church of Alexandria<ref name=derr/> and served on the task force that organized the establishment of her subsequent congregation, the Woodland Presbyterian Church in Pineville.<ref name=derr/>​

Derr served for more than a decade on the board of directors of the local Family Counseling Agency. She was president and chairman of the group called Church Women United in Central Louisiana. She was the first female [[deacon]] at First Presbyterian Church of Alexandria<ref name=derr/> and served on the task force that organized the establishment of her subsequent congregation, the Woodland Presbyterian Church in Pineville.<ref name=derr/>

==Friendship House==​

==Friendship House==​

==Friendship House==​

As the co-founder of Friendship House in Alexandria in 1982, she was also the first president of the organization.<ref name=derr/>​

As the co-founder in 1982 of Friendship House in Alexandria, she was also the first president of the organization.<ref name=derr/>​

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In 2002, in an interview for the twentieth anniversary of Friendship House, Derr said that the center was "an idea before its time, really. Not many people understood it. We hoped it would be successful, but we really didn't know." Derr said that Maxine F. Watkins (1906–1997)<ref name=ssdi/> initiated the idea of an adult day-care center in Alexandria, before such enterprises became common nationwide. Julie Morris, the former executive director of Friendship House, said that Derr and Watkins "really were visionaries" who spurred life into the center, which is still functioning.<ref name=derr/>

In 2002, in an interview for the twentieth anniversary of Friendship House, Derr said that the center was "an idea before its time, really. Not many people understood it. We hoped it would be successful, but we really didn't know." Derr said that Maxine F. Watkins (1906–1997)<ref name=ssdi/> initiated the idea of an adult day-care center in Alexandria, before such enterprises became common nationwide. Julie Morris, the former executive director of Friendship House, said that Derr and Watkins "really were visionaries" who spurred life into the center, which is still functioning.<ref name=derr/>