Eldon E. “Pete” Pederson, an associate professor and basketball coach at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, from 1949 until his retirement in 1978, died Sunday, Feb. 17. He was 88 years old.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 23 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 8646 New Sappington Rd., Crestwood, Mo.
Pederson was born Jan. 8, 1914, in Centerville, S. D. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1936 from Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa., and an M.Ed. degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., in 1949.
From 1936-41, Pederson served as athletic director/coach at high schools in Moorhead and Sheldon, Iowa. From 1941-45, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, earning a Bronze Star and the rank of captain.
Prior to coming to the Seminary, Pederson was athletic director/coach at Huron College, now Huron University, in Huron, S. D., from 1945-48.
While at Concordia Seminary, Coach “Pete” helped to initiate a unit of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an annual wheelchair basketball game benefit and directed the summer sports camp for underprivileged children. In 1981, the Eldon Pederson Field House was named in his honor.
Among the survivors are his wife, Joyce; two daughters, Vicky Schafer of Houston and Cheryl Claypoole of Kapaa, Hawaii; a son, Paul Pederson of Madison, Wis.; a brother, Marlyn Pederson of Storm Lake, Iowa; and seven grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Crestwood, Mo., or Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105.
For more information, contact Lois M. Engfehr, Director of Communications at Concordia Seminary (314.505.7375, or [email protected] [1]).