June 28, 1931 – Aug. 13, 2016
Wilma Rose Pedersen, 85, died Aug. 13, 2016.
She was born June 28, 1931, to John and Ann Lewis in Warren County, Ohio. She lived in Ohio until she was 14, when her family moved to Lebanon. She graduated from high school there in 1950. She then went to Northwest Christian College in Eugene, where she met her future husband, Melvin Pedersen.
After college, they settled in the Sweet Home area. They had eight of their nine children while living in Sweet Home.
In 1968, the family moved to Jefferson. They lived there until 1984, then again from 1986 until 1990. They raised all their children in Sweet Home and Jefferson. Mrs. Pedersen was involved in all her children’s activities, as well as PTA, American Field service, and foreign exchange students. She also cooked at the grade school for a few years so she could watch her children grow up.
She was a hands-on mother, with her kids in sports, drama, and other activities. She was always there rooting them on. She also loved to watch sports on television. Football and baseball were her favorites, but any sport would do. In her 40s, she was in a softball league and played catcher.
She loved camping. In the summertime, she would load up all her kids, and a few more that thought they were part of the family, into a huge station wagon and go to Suttle Lake for two weeks. She always had fun when she was around kids.
She was at Camp Koinonia, a Christian camp in Sweet Home, in the summer when not at Suttle Lake or at home. The camp was started in 1962, and Mrs. Pedersen and her family were always there, building cabins, building the lodge, and doing yard work to get the camp ready for campers.
The Pedersens directed many camps and Mrs. Pedersen was also a camp counselor for many years. Most kids just called her “Mom” at the camps. Then she got older, and the kids called her “Grandma.” She loved telling people about her love for Jesus. She taught Sunday school for many years at the Jefferson Christian Church.
Mrs. Pedersen had a love for life. She would say, “Living is easy when you know you’re going to Heaven.” Even though there were some tough times in her life, she never lost faith in the Lord.
After all the kids left home, the Pedersens moved to Burns, where they bought a 20-acre farm and raised hay and miniature donkeys. In her 70s, she was out there bucking hay and moving hand lines. They would have Christmas and family get-togethers on the farm as well. They moved into town when she was 80, finally retiring because she said she was getting too old to lift those bales of hay.
As Mrs. Pedersen grew older, the size of her family grew with her children becoming mothers and fathers. At the time of her death, she had 59 descendants from being a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother.
She loved them all just the same. Her family was at the top of the list for the pride and joy of life for her.
To sum her up in three words, Mrs. Pedersen was full of love, kindness and wisdom.
She is survived by her husband, Melvin; children Diana Virdino, Elcy Jannett Pedersen, Loretta “Pete” Jacobes, Melvin “Tiny” Pedersen, Mike Pedersen, Leland Pedersen, Marjie Downing and Tim Pedersen; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Pedersen was preceded in death by her son, Thomas Andrew Pedersen.
A memorial service was held Aug. 27, at the Harney County Church of the Nazarene.
Huston-Jost Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.