Ruth M. Pederson

Ruth M. Pederson, 98, entered the Lord’s Kingdom on April 4, 2009. Ruth had been in the loving care of Hospice and the staff of the Humboldt Care Center North. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Humboldt with the Rev. Gene Broughton and Rev. Matthew Manz officiating. Interment will be in St. Olaf Cemetery, Bode. Visitation with the family will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt.
Ruth Marianne Gullixson was born January 5, 1911, the third of nine children to Herman O. and Signe (Dahle) Gullixson on the family farm west of Bode, Iowa. As a young girl, Ruth attended school in Dakota City, Humboldt, Maple Lawn near Bradgate, and the Preparatory Department of Bethany College in Mankato, MN. Ruth was confirmed June 21, 1925 at St. Olaf Lutheran Church at Bode. She was united in marriage to Ernest Tedmar Pederson on January 12, 1929 at the First Methodist Parsonage in Fort Dodge. Ruth and Ernie started their married lives together on a farm near Arnold, Iowa and then moved to their home south east of Bode where they raised their eight children and resided until Ernie’s death in 1967. Ruth then moved to Humboldt where she joined Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Ruth was employed at Friendship Haven and the North and South Care Centers in Humboldt as a Nurses Aid until retiring.
Ruth was truly happy and proud to be a “farm wife”. She was quite an authority on chickens, which she raised and sold eggs during those busy child-rearing years. During her years living at Bode, Ruth remained active at St. Olaf’s Lutheran Church teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, and working the annual Lutefisk Supper. Ruth had a “green thumb” and before moving to the North Care Center, the yard of her apartment held begonia’s and dahlias. However her most prized possession was her family.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Audrey Harris of Des Moines, John Pederson of Des Moines, Karen (Jim) Moen of Yuma, AZ, Richard (Joan) Pederson of Fort Dodge, and Rosalind (Dan) Collins of Long Grove; son-in-law, Robert Bakken of Council Bluffs; daughters-in-law, Jean Pederson of Little Rock, AR, Wanda Pederson of Altoona, and Jean Pederson Reynolds of Des Moines; 24 grandchildren; 43 great grandchildren; 8 great-great grandchildren; sister, Hilda Stehl of California; and sister-in-law, Georgia Gullixson of California. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest on March 26, 1967; sons, Douglas and Peter; daughter, Ruth E. Bakken; grandchildren, Douglas Pederson-Gales, and Vickie Pederson Olson; infant great granddaughter, Elizabeth Moen; sons-in-law, Harlan “Cap” Harris and Bob Reynolds; grandsons-in-law, Mike Christensen and Mike Reynolds; her parents; sisters, Anna, Elsa, Mary, and Virginia; and brother, Sigurd, Richard, and George.