Gerald Edwin Pederson

Gerald Edwin Pederson Gerry (Pete) passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11th. He was the firstborn son of Edwin and Olive (Bradstreet) Pederson, born on September 28, 1922, in Wayne, Nebraska. He moved with his family in 1928 to Genesee, Idaho, where his parents bought the Genesee News. He had many wonderful memories of being raised in this small community with his younger brother, Dan. The John Black family were next door neighbors and they became not only close friends but eventually became a large part of his future. Gerald's first job was "the printer's devil", a fancy name for the "clean up kid". In spite of being short in stature, he became an excellent athlete in high school, where he graduated in 1940. He then went to the University of Idaho, where he played baseball and pursued a degree in general business. In his sophomore year, during World War II, he was called to active duty as an officer in the infantry. Late in 1943, he returned to the U of I where he demonstrated his lifelong reputation of never being in a hurry. He took classes and accumulated so many credits that his father finally had to tell him that it was time to pick a major and get his degree. After graduation, he went into the grain business at the Genesee Union Warehouse, where he stayed until 1961. He then eagerly accepted an offer from Ralph Koster and Bill Emerson to become the bookkeeper and part-owner of a car dealership in Moscow that they named Delta Ford Sales. In 1965 he rekindled a friendship with Nona (Black) Wilde, a widow who was also his childhood next door neighbor. When they married on December 21, 1967, he was 45 years old and became an instant father to four children and one grandchild. We can only imagine the adjustments he had to make after being a carefree bachelor all those years! When Delta Ford was sold in 1978, Nona and he moved to Coeur d'Alene, where he worked for seven years as a bookkeeper at a Chevrolet dealership. They loved to spend their leisure time with their family on Pend Oreille Lake during the summer and enjoy life in Yuma, Arizona every winter. In 1986, they moved to Twin Falls. When Target opened in 1991, he became their greeter, and later a cashier there. When Nona died in 2002, he moved to Woodstone Retirement Home, where he became close friends with Donna Miller and Penny Ferrante. In 2014, needing memory care, he was moved next door to Heritage Retirement Center. Donna became a special blessing to him as his Alzheimer's disease progressed. Gerald was preceded in death by his wife, Nona. and his younger brother, Dan. He is survived by his step children, Ken (Pauline) Wilde, Liberty Lake, WA, Suzen (Jim) Flathers, Cocolalla, ID, Nancy (Larry) Huettig, Hazelton, ID, and Dave (Tina) Wilde, Rathdrum, ID, seven grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and extended family who remained close throughout his life. Gerry enriched our lives tremendously and will be greatly missed! A graveside service is planned at the Genesee City Cemetery on Saturday, May 2nd at 1:00. Arrangements are under the direction of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home of Twin Falls. Those who wish may share memories and condolences on his memorial page at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.