Richard Ray Pedersen

Richard Ray Pedersen, age 90 of Le Sueur, died Sunday, June 17, 2018 at the Pathstone Living facility in Mankato. Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 25 at the United Methodist Church in Le Sueur. Rev. Terri Horn will officiate. Visitation will be from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, June 24 at the Kolden Funeral Home in Le Sueur, and one hour prior to service time at the church on Monday. Interment will be in Mound Cemetery, Le Sueur with Military Honors. Richard was born on November 20, 1927 in St. Paul to Sophus and Florence (Matthies) Pedersen. He grew up on a dairy farm which produced, bottled, and delivered milk in the city of St. Paul. At the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in Guam for two years. On discharge from the Navy, he enrolled in Gustavus Adolphus College and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1952. While attending Gustavus he met Beverly Sunderman from Le Sueur and they married on June 21, 1952. They were married for 57 years, until her passing in 2009. He became a partner in the Pedersen-Sunderman Insurance Agency with his father-in-law, Willard I Sunderman. After Willard retired in 1962, he continued in the insurance business for the next 35 years. He was welcomed into The Equitable Life Insurance Hall of Fame after ranking in the top 5% of sales for at least ten years. Dick was very active in the City of Le Sueur, having served as the first President of Le Sueur Economic Development, President of the Le Sueur Rotary Club, President of the Le Sueur Area Chamber of Commerce, Master of Union Lodge # 45 A.F.A.M., President of the Le Sueur area Shrine Club, President of the Minnesota Valley Memorial Hospital and creator of the Hospital Endowment Fund. He was President of Mound Cemetery for 35 years, founding the Cemetery Endowment Fund to ensure ongoing interest revenue to cover operating and maintenance expenses. Dick had numerous interests and hobbies. He tapped hundreds of maple trees to produce and bottle over 100 gallons of Grade A maple syrup each year for many years. He was also a bee keeper, maintaining 20 hives for many years. He cleared over 20 acres of dense brush and decaying trees on his farm in order to plant 5,000 white spruce, black walnut, and green ash trees. On retiring, he took up wood turning to create beautiful wood bowls from wood that he collected on his farm. He enjoyed bow hunting in Minnesota and rifle hunting in Montana as well as fishing in both summer and winter. In addition to his wife, Beverly, he is preceded in death by his parents, Florence and Sophus Pedersen and his older brother, Harley Pedersen. He is survived by his twin daughters, Vicky Vogel and Wendy Pedersen of Le Sueur; one granddaughter, Nicole Krenik (Luke), also of Le Sueur; two great-grandchildren, Elysia and Scott Krenik; sister-in-law, Lois (Sunderman) Hilderbrandt of St. Paul; nephew, Gregg Mensing (Karen); and nieces, Gail (Bradley) Schmitt and Pam (Erik) Lindberg, all of whom reside in the twin cities, along with numerous great nieces and nephews.