Dorothy J. Pederson

Pederson Dorothy J., age 82, of Minneapolis. Dorothy is survived by her husband, Ernie, currently hospitalized at Abbott Northwestern because of a hip fracture suffered on February 7; children, Janice Haag, Steven & his partner John Burns, Nancy Lindberg & husband Alan; grandchildren, Eric Haag & wife Julie Nurnberger-Haag, Krista & Jenny Lindberg; and brother, Richard Peterson. Born on January 16, 1920 in Michigan City, Indiana, Dorothy J. Peterson grew up there and in high school she ran track and played the clarinet in the band. She met her husband-to-be through a co-worker in Detroit and they married in 1946, changing her name from Peterson to Pederson. The young couple transferred to Minneapolis in 1947, back to Detroit in 1949, and once again to the Minneapolis area in 1959, buying a home in Minnetonka and living there for the next 39 years. During their earliest years in Minneapolis, Dorothy answered inquiries to General Mills as Betty Crocker. In the 1960s, she began working for Lutheran Brotherhood and eventually worked closely with Arly Bjella during his tenure as CEO of that company. They joyfully remet three years ago in the dining room of Walker Place. When her children were growing up, Dorothy was a Girl Scout Leader. She loved gardening, disliked deer and rabbits that lived in the suburbs, talked of success in golf on her better days, and relished travel in retirement years, a time when she became an avid winter collector of seashells at Sanibel Island. After Ernie suffered a stroke in 1998, they moved to Walker Place in Minneapolis. It was at that time that Alzheimer's disease made its sad appearance. Soon thereafter, she moved to Walker Methodist Health Center and was joined there by Ernie last year. Their lives were focused on family, church, and University of Michigan football (Go Blue!). The family is very grateful to Jason Reed, M.D., the staff of Walker Health Center 4 Raines, and especially to Amy James, Liz Huber, Linda Deutsch, Annie Bhiakam, Mahadi Ramprasad, Linda Dye and Taiwo Odeleye for their gentle, professional, and loving care. Dorothy died peacefully and painlessly in the presence of her son. Funeral service at Wallker Health Care Chapel, 3737 Bryant Ave S., Minneapolis, at 1:30 PM Wednesday afternoon, February 13. Reviewal will begin one hour before the service. The family requests that any remembrances be directed to the Pastoral Care Fund at Walker Methodist Foundation, 3737 Bryant Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55409. Washburn-McReavy Davies Chapel 612-377-2203

Published on February 12, 2002