David W. Pederson

David “Dave” W. Pederson, age 85, of Alexandria, left us for his heavenly home surrounded by family on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at his home.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, February 10, 2023, at the Alexandria Covenant Church with Pastor Trinity Opp officiating. Interment will be at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Prior Lake.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

David Wayne Pederson was born August 31, 1937, in Roseville, Minnesota, to Louis and Alfreda (Kopplin) Pederson. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Dave was educated in Ramsey County, attending grade school at the Turtle Lake School, a one room country schoolhouse, and graduated from Alexander High School in Roseville in 1955. That class was the first graduating class from that school. He attended one year at Concordia College in St. Paul. He was married to Ellen Carlson in 1958 and in 1959 started working for North Central Airlines in south Bend, Indiana. He worked through three mergers, North Central, Republic, and Northwest Airlines during his over 33-year career in the airline industry. The family lived in Fairmont, Minnesota; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan; and Prior Lake, Minnesota. Dave retired from Northwest Airlines in 1993. After the death of Ellen in 1985, he married Kathleen Linder of Alexandria in 1988. He has lived in Alexandria since retiring. Dave and Kathy spent their winters in Florida from 1995 to 2010. He enjoyed reading, sports, golfing, gardening, and fishing. He had a knack for writing poetry and wrote special verses for his family and friends. Dave managed Nordic Trails Golf Club from 1995 through 1999.  Dave and Kathy were both active members of Alexandria Covenant Church since his retirement. His passion in life was to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus, family and friends. He encouraged this by writing a monthly newsletter called “Eternal Future” for his family, and for anyone who asked for it. At the time of his death, he had researched and compiled 261 letters, covering a span of over 21 years. A trip of a lifetime in 2016, was a great blessing for Dave and Kathy when they traveled to Israel and renewed their baptism covenant in the Jordan River.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ellen; daughter, Jeannie Kelly; three brothers, Omer, Norman, and Louis; and sister, Roycie (Bob) Karth.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy; son David Jr.; daughters, Debra Scherer and Julie Vanasse; seven grandchildren, Amy (Jared) Grier, Amber (Eric Benson) Scherer, Jennifer Pederson, Markis (fiancée, Miriam Campo) Kelly, Katie (Eloy) Rosales, Madisyn Vanasse, and Rachel Vanasse; seven great-grandchildren, Steven Hargis, Landon Edgett, Christian and Skyler Sanchez, Janelle Kelly, and Larson and Evelynn Grier; three step-children, Melanie (Neal) Kalina, Mitchell (Denise Figura) Linder, and James Linder; three step-granddaughters, Lindsey (William) Netwal, Kelli (Dominic) Hlinksy, and Kristin (Zachary) Lambertson; and five step great-grandchildren, Meadow Netwal, Bennie Hlinsky, Adalyn Kalina, Annarene and Henry Lambertson.

Pallbearers are Markis Kelly, Jared Grier, Eric Benson, Neal Kalina, Mitchell Linder, and Richard Mikkelson. Honorary pallbearers are his granddaughters, Amy, Amber, Jenny, Katie, Madisyn, Rachel, Lindsey, Kelli, and Kristin.