Velma E. Pedersen

Velma E. Pedersen, 96, of St. Paul died Thursday, May 22, 2008 at the Howard County Community Hospital in St. Paul.



Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Reverend Joseph Javorsky will officiate. Auxiliary services will be conducted by the Carl Mogensen American Legion Auxiliary Unit #119 of St. Paul. Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be held on Monday, from 4 - 6 p.m. at the church.



Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.



Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.



Mrs. Pedersen was born April 6, 1912 in Oaks, Oklahoma to Cal and Florence (Payne) Lamont.



She attended Cherokee Indian Mission School in Oklahoma to the 10th grade. She finished her high school education in Wolbach where she graduated in 1931. After her schooling, she moved back to Oaks where she taught school.



She was united in marriage to Austin Dixon on November 8, 1932. The couple operated Dixon General Store in Oaks. After her husbands death in 1956, Velma continued to run the general store.



Velma was united in marriage to Raymond Pedersen on September 15, 1960 in Wagner, OK. The couple made their home on the farm near Wolbach. In 1984, the couple retired and moved into St. Paul. Her husband, Ray died on November 14, 1998. Velma continued to live in St. Paul until the time of her death.



Velma enjoyed gardening, yardwork, embroidery, reading and playing the piano, which she played for all of her life.



She was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church of St. Paul and the Carl Mogensen American Legion Auxiliary Unit #119 of St. Paul.



Survivors include two daughters and a son-in-law, Lavada Ockerman of Charlotte, NC and Jean and Gary Lovett of Canyon Lake, CA; four grandsons; eight great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews including Sharon Foust of Bartlesville, OK and a special nephew, Joe Pedersen of St. Paul.



She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Austin and Raymond; two brothers; two sisters; and a step-daughter, Donna Niedfelt.