In 2024, Jude Thaddeus Depko '92 passed away at the age of 53 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was a proud graduate of The University of Scranton with a B.A. in History and spent most of his career shaping young minds as a beloved teacher at Manchester Avenue Elementary School in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Jude was more than an educator. He was a mentor, a leader, and a friend to all who knew him. He lived with kindness, compassion, and generosity at his core, always placing the needs of others before his own. Known by many as a “gentle giant,” Jude led with love in every relationship and left a lasting mark on his students, colleagues, and community.
To honor Jude’s remarkable life and continue his legacy of service, his friends and family have established the Jude Depko ’92 Memorial Fund to support undergraduate students with financial need, and who, like Jude, are passionate about education, lead in service to others, and embrace learning and inclusion in all they do.
Donors to this fund will help carry forward Jude’s mission: to empower future educators, to inspire acts of kindness, and to ensure his impact will live on for generations to come.
