Charles Albert Pedersen

Charles Albert Pedersen was born in Chicago, Ilinois on Sept 10, 1917, the second of four children born to Norwegian immigrant parents, Selmer and Karen Pedersen. Before two years of age he had contracted polio which left him with a crippled leg, but his mother refused the prescribed brace so that he would learn to walk on his own. By the age of 13, he would be taking 40 mile bicycle rides to strengthen his leg. While still in high school, he purchased, the first of four Harley Davidson's he would own in order to go to and from school. At age 20, he and a buddy took a trip to Texas, sleeping along the roads at night. And as long as they were this far south, why not go to California, and then, why not visit aunts and cousins in Tacoma, WA? On this trip he recalls traveling via the Bearthooth highway shortly after it was opened and coasting the 30 miles or so down to Red Lodge. Two years later in1939 he and his buddy took a weekend trip to the World's Fair in New York City, and got sooty black going through Pittsburgh so were not welcomed at a New York hotel. On May 9, 1942, Charles married Thelma Jane Tweet in Radcliffe, Iowa. It was from Radcliffe that Thelma had come to Chicago to find a job, and to Hauge Lutheran Church, the home church of Selmer Pedersen and family. Charles and Thelma were to become the parents of four children. Charles was inducted for military service at the beginning of WWII, but disqualified because of his lame leg. When he learned of the high casualty rate among those early enlistees, he always considered his disqualification a Godsend; nonetheless, he was soon doing two years second shift work with Macdonald-Douglas at O'Hare Field helping build C-54 Cargo planes, the "work horses" of the war effort. After his marriage, and after getting a job as sign painter for Spanger Bros. (a company for whom his father worked) he began doing double-shifts: eight hours at Spangers, an hour of sleep, and another eight hours at Macdonald-Douglas. He took pride in what he had contributed to the World War II victory. Besides 42 years at Spanger Bros, his adult life in Chicago included serving as Deacon, and 25 years as a Sunday School teacher at Hauge Lutheran. His faith and love for his family were very important to him. Charles took early retirement at age 60 in 1977 and moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he and Thelma were active members of American Lutheran Church (also his parents' retirement city and church). Here he enjoyed year-round "farming" of his own garden spot (including pomegranates, grapefruit, and orange trees for fresh orange juice for breakfast from his own tree). After nearly 20 years in Arizona, Charles and Thelma had a house built for themselves in Billings, MT, where they would be nearer family - especially Dorothy and Cliff Haaland, whose oversight they would enjoy for the rest of their lives. Here they became faithful members of American Lutheran Church. Charles died on February 22d at the age of 97 at St. John's The Vista in Billings. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Thelma, infant granddaughter, Krista Lynn, and by his three siblings, Marie Thompson, Mabel Johnson, and Kenneth Pedersen. He is survived by his four children, Elizabeth (John) Tweeten of Tacoma, Washington, Jan (Tom) Schiff of Mill Valley, California, Dorothy (Cliff) Haaland Madison, Wisconsin, and Chuck (Beth) Pedersen of Amery, Wisconsin ; six grandchildren (David (Heidi) Tweeten, Carl (Sofia) Tweeten, Erik Haaland (Daniel Holmgren), Kirsten (Mike) Heggeseth, Adam (Laura) Pedersen, and Matt Pedersen (fiancé Sophie Danielson), as well as by seven great-grandchildren with two additional great grandchildren expected within the next month, as well as many nephews and nieces. May God bless his memory. The family wishes to thank the staff at The Vista for their love and caring these past six and one half years. Services will be held 11am Friday, February 27th, at American Lutheran Church, Billings. The family asks that memorials be directed to American Lutheran Church, St. John's Lutheran Ministries, or the charity of your choice.