Carolyn N. Pederson
February 18, 1925 • April 12, 2016
Carolyn N. Pederson, 91, of Benson, Minnesota died Tuesday afternoon, April 12, 2016, at the Glenwood Retirement Village.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 15, 2016 at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Benson. Visitation was held from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Benson and continued Friday for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Carolyn N. Kjera was born February 18, 1925 to Johannes J. and Sophie Regina (Hippe) Kjera on the home farm in New Prairie Township, Pope County, just across the field from St. John’s Church; where she was baptized, confirmed and married by Rev. G. O. Forde. She attended District 74 country school, graduated from Starbuck High School, and earned a teaching certificate from Glenwood Normal Training.
The 12th of 14 sisters and brothers, she learned at a young age the value and satisfaction of helping on the farm and clerking at the Gunvalson Store in the ghost town of New Prairie. For 11 years, she taught at rural schools throughout Pope and Swift counties, spending some summers with her sister, Jeanette, working at the Trail Ridge Museum in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
She was married October 16, 1954 to Edward Donald Pederson, who was born February 18, 1920. They would celebrate the next 47 mutual birthdays together until Dad passed away August 17, 2001 at Oak Lawn Farm. There they raised some cattle, hogs, chickens, and three kids. As the children got older, Carolyn worked off the farm at Fingerhut Manufacturing and for 20 years as an agent for a then fledgling company, American Family Assurance (now known as AFLAC); earning trips to Georgia and Hawaii. In 1997, she was among a contingent of a few dozen Kjera/Hanse well-wishers to brother Walter and Nuna’s 60th wedding anniversary in Alaska.
In her retirement years, Carolyn was a volunteer for the Rice Hospice program and a member of the church choir and study clubs. She enjoyed singing, reading, playing cards and games, visiting, writing poetry, and family life in general. After over half a century as the matriarch of Oak Lawn Farm, she made many new dear friends living at Westwood Manor in Benson and for the past two and a half years at Parkview Court and the Glenwood Village Care Center Rainbow Unit, where she went to be with the Lord April 12, 2016.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren: Randy (Jeannie) Pederson and Stephanie of Glenwood, Erik of Crested Butte, CO, and Alexander of Vancouver, WA; Edward Kjera Pederson of Oak Lawn Farm; Kristine (Mark) Anderson and Ben of Eden Prairie, and Sarah of Hong Kong; a sister, Eunice Sylvester of Bloomington; brother-in-law, Arne Pederson of Starbuck; sisters-in-law: Florence Cole of Boulder, CO, Marcene Pederson of St. Michael, and Margaret and Rita Pederson of Glenwood; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; grandson, Andrew Martin Pederson; brothers: Alfred (Jean), Roy (Ida), Melvin (Dorothy), Walter (Nuna), Iver (Dorothy), and Ralph; sisters: Margaret (Dewitt), Leona (Linton), Valborg, Jeanette (Donald), Elaine, Muriel (Sidney), and Arvid (Sylvester); brothers-in-law: Oliver, Telford (Berniece), Elmer (Arlene), Michael, Ove and Leland; sisters-in-law: Lillian, Dorothy, Dorie and Carol; and several nieces and nephews.
To God be the Glory, good and faithful servant!
Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson assisted the family with the arrangements. www.zniewskifuneralhome.com
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