Judy DeRego

Judy DeRego (Judy Cornell) was born on March 28, 1933 in Southeast Portland. The daughter of a commercial painter and a homemaker, she graduated from Grant High School in 1951. It was in high school that she started swimming.

As a student at Grant High School, her swimming career flourished. From 1949 through 1952, Judy held all the Oregon and Portland records in the 100-meter, 50-meter and the 100-yard breaststroke. She went on to compete in her first National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida. In 1950, she was named All-American in the 100-yard and 100-meter breaststroke. In 1951, she was again named All-American in the 100-yard and 100-meter breaststroke breaking National records. That same year, Judy became the first and only athlete to be sponsored by the Portland Junior Chamber of Commerce. This made it possible for her to train for the 1952 Olympics. She competed in the Hawaiian Invitational, where she won the 100 meter-breaststroke, breaking her own record. She later competed in Detroit, Michigan and broke the National American 100-meter breaststroke record.

Judy went on to receive an athletic scholarship to the Multnomah Athletic Club, where she trained for the Olympics. In 1952, Judy came in second at the Olympic tryouts in Indianapolis in the 200-meter breaststroke. (There was no 100-meter event, which would have likely put her first).

Judy represented the United States in the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games, swimming in the breaststroke event. She competed with the U.S. team in the 200-meter event, though the team did not medal. Throughout her life, she enjoyed the competitive swimming lifestyle, specifically the travel. One Olympic memory sticks out as particularly fond: The welcome parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City that celebrated the return of U.S. Olympians.

She met her husband, Daniel DeRego, on Waikiki Beach in the early 1950s. They married on June 4, 1955, after which the DeRego surname became synonymous with competitive swimming. Judy and Dan began a long career promoting swimming in Oregon, forming swim teams and coaching. In 1971, the University of Oregon honored Judy and other past Olympic Athletes during half-time at a football game. In 1977 she accomplished another life goal of swimming in the “Roy Webster Columbia River Cross-Channel Swim.” She did this annually with many of her students and once with her granddaughter, Amera.

Most of all, Judy enjoyed being surrounded by her family. She enjoyed spending time outdoors, gardening, skiing, camping and bike riding. She looked forward to taking long drives all over Oregon with her late husband Dan, and she loved spoiling her grandchildren, who could often be found spending weekends at her house. She also loved the time she spent with her daughter Terri on their weekly lunch dates.

She died peacefully on January 4, 2021. She is survived by her daughters Terri and Gloria, her sister Betty, her grandchildren Sulton, Amera, Josie, Danielle and many great grandchildren.

Donations in Judy's name can be made to the YWCA at https://www.ywcapdx.org/get-involved/donate/