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Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen

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Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen

Birth	:	14 Jul 1918 Howard County, Nebraska, USA
Death	:	13 Mar 2004 Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
Burial	:	Saint Mary Churchyard, Gissing, South Norfolk District, England
Coordinate	:	52.4235630, 1.1548260
Description	:	Thanks to contributor #48531678; July 14, 1918 - March 13, 2004 The Good Shepherd has called one of His own to return to the Flock. Raymond James "Whitie" Pedersen, son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed on to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 13, 2004, at his home in Helena. Raymond was born on July 14, 1918, to Carl C. and Anna C. Pedersen in Howard County, Neb. He and his older brother, Stanley C. Pedersen, grew up in the farming communities of Nysted and Dannebrog, Neb. In a time before electricity had been widely... Read More	Thanks to contributor #48531678; July 14, 1918 - March 13, 2004 The Good Shepherd has called one of His own to return to the Flock. Raymond James "Whitie" Pedersen, son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed on to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 13, 2004, at his home in Helena. Raymond was born on July 14, 1918, to Carl C. and Anna C. Pedersen in Howard County, Neb. He and his older brother, Stanley C. Pedersen, grew up in the farming communities of Nysted and Dannebrog, Neb. In a time before electricity had been widely introduced into rural Nebraska, water was pumped by hand, fields were cultivated and harvested with teams of horses, cookstoves and heating stoves were fueled by wood or dried corn husks, Raymond and Stanley worked side by side with their parents in the fields and with the animals to sustain a modest living from their efforts on the farm. Raymond attended grade school at District 74's one room country school, west of Dannebrog. In the spring of 1931, at the age of 12, he graduated from the eighth grade. In the fall of that year, he attended Dannebrog High School, lettering in the music program and graduating in the spring of 1935. During this same period, the Great Depression and the "Dust Bowl Days" were a reality of life in Nebraska. Time was spent working on the farm or in school. As the depression deepened and the draught persisted, Raymond was forced to seek employment off the farm. He was able to land a job as a sales clerk at the Carlson Drug Store in Dannebrog. It was during this period of his life that he met a young, beautiful Irish "lass" from Eddyville, Neb., by the name of Kathryn "Kay" Ellen O'Meara. This young lady would forever change his life. After attending the St. Paul Business College in St. Paul, Neb., Raymond accepted a job offer from the Social Security Board and left Nebraska for Baltimore in December of 1940. He was assigned to the regional field office in Omaha, Neb., in August of 1941 and he married Kathryn "Kay" Ellen O'Meara on Sept, 24, 1941 in Eddyville, Neb. Raymond answered the call to defend our great nation as the hostilities of World War II enveloped the globe. He was sworn into the U.S. Navy in Dec. of 1942 and served in active duty from Jan. 1943 through Jan. 1946. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Fleming, D-E 32, a destroyer escort in the Pacific Theatre and served as a petty officer and a 20-mm gunner. He was honorably discharged and returned to Nebraska, where his family had been blessed with the addition of two children. From Feb. 1946 until his retirement in Sept. 1981, Raymond returned to work for the Social Security Administration (SSA). From a clerk/typist in Baltimore to the district manager of the Social Security Office in Great Falls, his professional career was spent in the service of others. In Oct. 1975, Raymond was honored in a ceremony in Baltimore with the bestowment of the SSA's highest award, the "Commissioner's Citation." In October 1981, he returned to Baltimore to receive another award recognizing his commitment of 40 years of federal service. Through all of this, Raymond and his beloved wife Kay raised a family of nine children. The oldest and the youngest children were girls and the seven children in between were boys. It was his devotion to his family and a drive to succeed that spurred him on. After eight moves and several promotions, the Pedersens called Great Falls home. There they stayed from July 1960 until July 1993. From Great Falls, Ray and Kay moved to La Grande, Ore., where they lived for three years. As Kay's health declined, they moved back to Great Falls and then, finally, to Helena. During his life, when time allowed, Raymond liked to work with wood, he liked working in the yard and around the house, he looked forward to the weekly broadcast of The Lawrence Welk Show. He enjoyed any music by Anne Murray and he loved baseball. His parents, Carl C. and Anna C. Pedersen, his only brother, Stanley C. Pedersen, and his wife and best friend, Kay Pedersen, preceded Raymond in death. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Marguerite Pedersen of St. Paul, Neb.; Marilyn (Tim) Taylor of Bremerton, Wash.; Roger Pedersen of Helena; Randy (Lisa) Pedersen of Butte; Dr. Michael Pedersen, DVM, of Cannon Falls, Minn.; Ken (Barb) Pedersen, Esq., of Boise, Idaho; Mark (Rose) Pedersen of Great Falls; Larry (Louann) Pedersen of Lewistown; Paul (Bernadette) Pedersen of East Helena; Kathleen (Robert) Dartnell of Cherry Hill, N.J.; many nieces and nephews, 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All are saddened by his abrupt departure, but we believe that his reunion with the Lord and those who have preceded him is a cause for celebration. The Pedersen family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, at Retz Funeral Home. A Vigil service will be Thursday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in East Helena. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 19, at 11 a.m. at Saint Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in East Helena. Internment services will be celebrated at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Great Falls, on Friday, March 19, at 3:15 p.m. The family suggests memorials to St. Peter's Hospital Foundation, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601, Benefis Health Care Foundation, 1101 26th St. S., Great Falls, MT 59405, or to your favorite charity.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen's memorial?
Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen's memorial is located at: Saint Mary Churchyard, Gissing, South Norfolk District, England.
When did Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen death?
Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen death on 13 Mar 2004 in Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Raymond James “Whitie” Pedersen's memorial?
Latitude: 52.4235630
Longitude: 1.1548260

Family Members:

Spouse

Kathryn Ellen “Kay” O'Meara Pedersen

(1916 - 1998)

Flowers:

Left by Anonymous on 06 Sep 2013

Nearby Cemetories:

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Coordinate: 52.4235630, 1.1548260

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16. Croft Lane Baptist Church Burial Ground
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17. Saint Andrew Churchyard
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18. St Mary the Virgin Churchyard
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19. St Leonard Churchyard
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20. Unitarian Chapel Cemetery
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