PEDERSEN, John

PEDERSEN, JOHANSEN, CLARK, FESSLER, MCCLEISH, HANLEY

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 6/24/2013 at 23:55:45

John Pedersen, 90, formerly of Swaledale, Iowa, died Tuesday, Jan. 6,
2009 at the Rockwell Nursing Home, Rockwell, Iowa.

Funeral services were held Friday, Jan. 9, at the Swaledale Methodist
Church, with the Rev. John Scherb officiating. Interment was at the Mt. Vernon
Township Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the John Pedersen Memorial Fund.

John was born May 26, 1918 in Kason, Minn., the son of Arthur M. and Mary
E. (Johansen) Pedersen. He attended rural school northwest of Swaledale. He
farmed with his father. John married Inez Clark on Nov. 2, 1940. After her
death, he later married Verneice Fessler on Oct. 21, 1944 at the Little Brown
Church, Nashua, Iowa.

John worked in the foundry in Mason City in the mid 1940’s, and then
worked for Farmer Cement Feeder Co. driving a truck and making deliveries. In
1947 he went to work for Allis Chalmers as a mechanic in Mason City until 1956
when he opened his own dealership in Swaledale and operated it until he retired
in 1980. He started a wood working business with his son, Randy, and also did
mechanic’s work. In the fall he would help on his son’s farm in Cresco, Iowa.
He was a great problem solver and hard worker.

John was the former Mayor of Swaledale, a council member, and a member of
the Swaledale Fire Department. He was on the Cerro Gordo Condemnation Board and
a member of the Swaledale United Methodist Church. He loved fishing and family
gatherings.

John is survived by his wife, Verneice Pedersen, Rockwell; three children,
Clifford Pedersen and his wife, Gaye, Cresco, Janice McCleish and her husband,
Richard, Liberty, Mo., and Randy Pedersen and friend, Jean Hilbert, Wesley,
Iowa; eight grandchildren, Jennie (David) Mills, Julie (Kevin) Carter, Lisa
(Daryl) Sobolik, Angela (Scott) Linard, Matthew McCleish and fiancé, Nicole
Marriott, Johnny (Jenny) Pedersen, Katie Pedersen and friend, Troy Smeby, and
Arthur (Molly) Pedersen; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Alma Hanley, Clear Lake,
brother, Robert Pedersen, Lake Mills, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Inez, in 1943;
an infant daughter, Gloria Pedersen; two brothers, Ervin and Clarence Pedersen;
and an infant sister.