Eugene Pederson

Eugene A. "Gene" Pederson, age 70 of Sauk Centre, died surrounded by his family Friday, May 29, 2015 at CentraCare Health Hospital in Sauk Centre, Minnesota following a short battle with leukemia.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 1 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Military honors will be provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard and private family inurnment will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Monday at the church.

Eugene Allen Pederson was born March 1, 1945 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to Ernest and Ann (Johnson) Pederson. He was a graduate of Sauk Centre High School and later attended Control Data Institute in Minneapolis studying computer programming. He served in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam aboard the USS Dahlgren and the USS Vesuvius in Tonkin Bay.

On September 26, 1964 he married Elizabeth Jean "Betty" Bigaouette at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Green Isle, Minnesota. The couple resided in Hopkins where Gene was employed at Honeywell and then at Control Data in Bloomington. He later was an insurance agent for Mutual of Omaha and Life Investors. Since 1974 they have resided in Sauk Centre and Gene was a semi-truck driver for International Transport of Rochester and Long Haul Trucking of Albertville. He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Jean "Betty" Pederson of Sauk Centre; three daughters, Brenda Jean (Rick) Renzaglia of St. Michael, Jennifer Jean (Rob) Burner of Corinth, Texas, and Stephanie Jean (Baron) Totman of Rosemount; six grandchildren, Sydney and Ryne Renzaglia, Austyn and Abigail Burner, Brock and Jarod Totman; and sister, Diane (Jim) O'Brien of Clearwater.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Robert Pederson, Beverly Wagner, and Donavan Pederson.

Serving as casket bearers will be Nathan, Nicholas, Christopher, and Zachary Winter, Joseph Koopmeiners, and Isaac Engel. Honorary bearers will be members of the Patriot Guard Riders.

View Gene's specially prepared Life Story at:
http://www.lifestorynet.com/obituaries/eugene-pederson.107599