Editing Ed Derwinski (section)

==Post-politics==
Derwinski resided in [[Glen Ellyn, Illinois]] with his wife, the former Bonita Hickey, known as Bonnie. He had two adult children, Maureen and Michael, from his first marriage to Patricia Derwinski.

Derwinski died in a nursing home from [[Merkel cell carcinoma]], on January 15, 2012, at age 85.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/edward-j-derwinski-first-secretary-of-the-department-of-veterans-affairs-dies/2012/01/18/gIQA5IlL9P_story.html|title=Edward J. Derwinski, first secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, dies|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=January 18, 2012}}</ref> He was buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]] in [[Arlington, Virginia]].

On learning of his death, former United States Senator [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]] (R-IL) described Derwinski as "a giant in Illinois politics [...] [H]e had incredible connections in all the different ethnic neighborhoods in Chicago, he was really loved by everybody on both sides".