Obituary of Kenneth G. Pederson

Kenneth G. Pederson, age 92 of Yankton passed away Sunday, March 30, 2014 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 PM, Friday, April 4, 2014 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Yankton, SD with Rev. Mark Lichter officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Yankton, with Military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard and the SDARNG Honor Guard. Visitations will begin at 6:00 PM, Thursday evening at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, with a rosary at 7:00 PM followed by a Scripture service at 7:30 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Kenneth was born November 1st, 1921 to Herman P. and Ida (Erickson) Pederson on the family farm near Volin, SD. He grew up on the family farm and attended grade school at the Kjeldseth #29 School, graduating from Wakonda High School in 1939. After graduation, he worked on local farms until 1941 when he went to Wichita, Kansas for sheet metal school and worked in the aircraft industry. In 1943, he volunteered to serve in the Army Air Corp., during his service, he was a navigator. He was honorably discharged in November 1945 with the rank of Second Lieutenant. After his discharge, he went into farming. On April 19, 1950, he married Geraldine Bonertz of Yankton, SD at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton, SD. He and Geraldine shared 64 years of marriage, farming and raising three sons: Gary, Stewart and Kevin. He served on the Marindahl Township Board and the Yankton County Soil Conservation Board for many years. He was a member of the Gustad-Bruget Legion Post, Volin, SD and transferred to Anderson Post #12 in Yankton, SD. In 1992, he retired and they moved to Yankton where he enjoyed playing cards, playing golf, having coffee with friends and spending time with his family. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yankton, SD. He is survived by his wife, Geraldine of Yankton, SD; three sons: Gary (Marci) Pederson of Volin, SD, Stewart Pederson of Littleton, CO, and Kevin Pederson of Volin, SD; five grandchildren: Jennifer (Darrel) Johnson of Yankton, SD, Crystal (David) Meek of Sioux Falls, SD, Rebecca (Jeremy) Johnson of Yankton, SD, Travis Pederson and Alysha Pederson, both of Littleton, CO; three great grandchildren: Andrew Johnson of Yankton, SD, Elizabeth and Katherine Meek, both of Sioux Falls, SD; four sisters-in-law: Glennys Pederson, Darlene Pederson, LouAnn Bonertz, all Yankton, SD, and Carol Lowe of Omaha, NE; one brother-in-law, Don Lowe of Denver, CO; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Ida Pederson; two brothers, Harlan and Virgil Pederson, brother and sister-in-law, Medvin and Jeannette Anderson.