Shirley Pedersen

Shirley Joan Pedersen, 75, of Bismarck died June 13, 2004 at Medcenter One. Services will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday at Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with the Rev. Wes Aardahl officiating. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 Visitation will continue from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Wednesday at Eastgate Funeral Service and also one hour prior to services at the church. Shirley was born in Portland, OR to Eldon and Elizabeth Harding Ogle on March 8, 1929. The family moved to Roseburg, OR, when Shirley was seven, where she graduated from high school in 1947. After high school, she attended Northwest Business College in Portland. On a trip to North Dakota, she met Harvey Pedersen and they were married in Portland on November 28, 1952. They made their home in Grenora, ND, until Harvey was drafted into the Army and they lived in Ft. Monmouth, NJ and Ft. Bliss, TX. Their son, Allen, was born while they were living in Texas. After Harvey's discharge, they lived in Grenora, Fargo, and Billings before settling in Bismarck in 1970, where Shirley worked for the Human Resources Division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation, retiring in December 1990. Shirley spent many summers farming with Harvey near Grenora up until two years ago. She was a loving, kind person and always a good friend. In her spare time, she knit and crocheted many beautiful things, did needlepoint, painted, baked, and read. Many of her family and friends received treasured hand-made gifts from her. She was a long-time member of Faith Lutheran Church, enjoying Bible study and fellowship. Shirley also enjoyed traveling and during their retirement, they were active airstreamers in the Wally Byam Caravan Club, with Shirley serving as president of the North Dakota Peace Garden Unit just last year. Besides attending many Airstream Rallies, they visited several southern states, took a New England cruise, a bus tour to Branson, MO, and flew to Hawaii. Her family was the joy of her life and she is survived by her husband of 51 years, Harvey; her son, Allen Avis of Bismarck; granddaughter, Sally Ryan Frank of Fergus Falls, MN; her sister, Barb Land of Cottage Grove, OR; her uncle, Blaine Ogle of Cottage Grove, OR; her sisters-in-law, JoAnne Gerald Christensen of Williston and Lois Hieronymus of Anaconda, MT; and her nephews and nieces, Monty Land of Eagle River, AK, Shari Doug Smith of Bend, OR, Erik Marie Land of Cottage Grove, OR, Heather Mark Tucker of Cottage Grove, OR, Steven Laura Christensen of Williston, ND, Jill Christensen of Williston, ND, Craig Lori Christensen of Post Falls, ID, James Carrie Pedersen of Germany, and Janelle Harley Jones of Tucson, AZ. She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers-in-law, Bud Land and Elmer Pedersen, Jr. The family prefers memorials be given to Faith Lutheran Church or Dakota Boys Ranch.

Shirley Pedersen

March 8, 1929 - June 13, 2004