Pederson, Ruth Sheila Taylor (1930-2017)

PEDERSON, ESPELAND, TAYLOR, RYE, THOMAS, TORKELSON, DENNHARDT, DIETZEL, LESTER, PALS, BEAR, HELLAND, CANTERBURY, FISCHBACH, CHILCOTE

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 10/31/2017 at 21:54:49

Ruth Sheila Taylor Pederson,
March 24, 1930 - September 15, 2017

Ruth S. Pederson, age 87, formerly of Lake Mills, died on Friday, September 15, 2017, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

A daughter of Selmer and Julia Emma (Taylor) Espeland, Ruth was born on March 24, 1930, near Rake, Iowa. After graduating from Rake High School in 1948, she worked at Hotel Albert Lea in Albert Lea, Minnesota, as a waitress. Next, she attended Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. Then, after completing her studies, she worked in the office at Wilson’s in Albert Lea, Minnesota. On September 8, 1951, she married Raymond Pederson at Liberty Lutheran Church, Rake, Iowa.

Ray and Ruth lived in Rake until 1962 when they purchased a farm by Lake Mills. Helping with the field work when needed, she drove the tractor and did the cooking and baking for the family. In time, they had two children, Victoria Lynn and Gary Lee. A proud mother and homemaker, she put her family above all else. Moreover, she loved caring for and spending time with her grandchildren. Very active in church circles at Zion Lutheran Church in Rake and Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, she taught Sunday School for several years. In addition, she enjoyed her role as a member of her neighborhood Birthday Club in Lake Mills, and she loved taking care of her many pet dogs and cats over the years. She enjoyed crafting, knitting, embroidering, reading, and cooking and baking for her family.

After Ray had a stroke and moved into the Good Shepherd Care Center in Mason City, Ruth moved to Cornerstone Assisted Living so that she could visit him every day. When Ray died, she moved to Kentucky Ridge Assisted Living, also in Mason City, and enjoyed participating in many of the activities. Ruth had only, recently, moved to the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

Ruth is survived by her children, Vicky (Steve) Rye, of Mason City, and Gary (Cindy) Pederson, of Lake Mills; her grandchildren: Sara, (Derek) Thomas, of Mason City, Rachel (Ryan) Torkelson, of Mason City, Ben (Brooke) Pederson, of Lake Mills, Ashley (Joel) Dennhardt, of Iowa City, and Megan (Dan) Dietzel, also of Iowa City; nine great grandchildren: Samuel Dennhardt; Kaitlyn Lester; Eric Pals; Leo, Lila Blu, Luca, and Willa Rae Pederson; Adriana Rye; and Weston Thomas; three step-grandchildren: Trevor, Treyton, and Tyler Torkelson; her brother, Stanley (Susan) Espeland; her sisters-in-law, Pearl Bear, of Lake Mills, Madeline Helland, if Northwood, and Mae Hove, of Wells, Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Pederson; her parents; her step-mother, Josie Espeland; her sisters, Jean Canterbury and Janice Fischbach; her brother, Lynn Espeland; her sisters- and brothers-in-law, Bob and Lillian Chilcote, Orin and Nella Halvorson, Mack Canterbury, Hubert Bear, Alvin Helland, and Andrew Hove, Jr., and two great grandchildren, Logan Ray Lester and Nola Bea Pederson.

Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 AM, Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at Salem Lutheran Church, 401 South Lake Street, Lake Mills, Iowa 50450, with Pastor Bill Peters officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Tuesday at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street, Lake Mills, Iowa 50450, and again for one hour before the service at the church. Burial will follow at the East Cemetery in Rake, Iowa.

Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, Iowa, 2017.

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