Sina Pederson

SINA PEDERSON was born to Herbert and Erna Katharina (Loose) Stoltenberg on January 14, 1931 in Luverne, Minnesota. She lived on a farm near Kenneth, Minnesota. When she was six weeks old, she moved with her parents to a farm in Grange Township of Pipestone County, Minnesota where she was raised and attended country school in District 18. She continued her education at Pipestone High School. After her graduation in 1950, she worked at the Red Owl Store in Pipestone. That same year, she went on a trip to Idaho and Wyoming with her Uncle Henry and two friends to visit relatives. She worked for Camp Kamaji on Cass Lake, Minnesota in the kitchen and the laundry for the summer of 1951. In 1953, she moved to Marshall, Minnesota where she worked at the Ben Franklin Store. In 1954, she became employed at the Haas Bakery in Marshall. On March 2, 1955, she was united in marriage to Martin Carl Pederson at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they farmed in Westline Township of Redwood County, Minnesota. They raised small grain and corn, cows, pigs and poultry. They later raised small grain, corn and soybeans, cows and poultry. They later raise just corn and soybeans. In 1977, they began to rent out one-half of their farm and just farm one-half themselves. At that time, they moved to Milroy. On the morning of December 26, 1983, when they went to feed the dog that was out at the farm, the mile driveway was blocked with snow. They left the pickup at the highway and walked. On the way back to the highway there was a beautiful rainbow in the northwest sky. During the milking days, they milked half the cows and the other half had to raise two calves. In 1985, they retired and rented out their farm. They kept gardening. Sina was Martin’s caregiver for two years. She was also the caregiver for her sister-in-law, Edna Pederson for a year and a half. After being in the nursing home for over five months, Martin preceded Sina in death on December 29, 1994. After his death, Sina continued to live in Milroy until November, 2001 when she moved to Pipestone. Sina passed away at the Pipestone County Medical Center on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the age of 85 years, one month, and 21 days.

Sina was baptized at First Presbyterian Church in Holland on February 2, 1941. She became a member of this church on May 27, 1951. While living in Milroy, Minnesota, she was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Milroy. When she moved back to Pipestone, she once again became a member of First Presbyterian Church in Holland where she was active in the Ladies Aid and Bible Studies. She was also a member of the Milroy Senior Citizens, the Pipestone Senior Citizens and the Holland Senior Citizens. When she was younger, she was a member of the Grange Gophers 4-H Club. She enjoyed both vegetable and flower gardening. She liked to attend the various church dinners, and she liked to go to parades and fairs.

She is lovingly remembered by her two brothers, Lloyd William (Jean) Stoltenberg of Holland, Minnesota, and Elmer Lee Stoltenberg of Holland, Minnesota; and two sisters, Marie Ann Klingbile of Lennox, South Dakota and Carmen Lois (Charles) Borg of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Martin; her parents; two brothers, Emil Henry Stoltenberg who died as an infant and Donald Herbert Stoltenberg; her father-in-law and her mother-in-law, Lewis and Eleonora Pederson; one brother-in-law, Richard Lee Klingbile; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Lillian and Henry Williams; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Werner and Annie Pederson; her sister-in-law, Elna Pederson; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Esther and Palmer Refseth; her sister-in-law, Florence Pederson; her grandnephew, Justin Stoltenberg; and her grandniece, Kami Jo Korver.