PEDERSEN, James Alfred

Mohave Valley News, Mohave Valley, Arizona - Published in Mohave Daily News Online from February 8 to February 15, 2011 - James Alfred "Pete" Pedersen, age 86, a 52-year resident of Needles, Calif. and Mohave Valley, Ariz, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010 in Fort Mohave, Ariz. James was born March 6, 1924, in Cozad, Neb., to Anna Marie (Jensen) Pedersen and Jens L. Pedersen. At age 14, he received confirmation from the Danish St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cozad. In 1941, he graduated from Cozad HS. Pete served in the U.S. Navy from January 1943 to December 1947 on two minesweepers, the USS Symbol and the USS Sway. He saw action in the Mediterranean Sea and off the coast of France, receiving three stars, and in the Asiatic and Pacific, receiving two stars. He was a Sonarman 2nd Class. In 1949, Pete worked as a signalman on the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska, until he transferred to Fireman in 1952. He also worked on the Western Pacific out of Sacramento, Calif. and the Pacific Electric out of Los Angeles, Calif. and the Los Angeles Junction Railroad. On May 9, 1957, Pete hired out on the A.T. & S.F. Railroad in Bakersfield, Calif. He moved to Needles, Calif. in January 1958, continuing to work on the Santa Fe R.R. until his retirement in December 1986. After retirement, Pete and his friends would meet at a local restaurant for coffee in the morning and again in the evening to reminiscence about the railroading and remember railroad friends that had passed on. While working on the railroad out of Needles, Pete moved to Mohave Valley, Ariz., where he pursued his passion for farming. He had a year round vegetable garden which he generously shared the produce with his friends. Pete also had six varieties of 250 pecan trees on 30 acres. He sold those to "pecan lovers" who anticipated the nuts being ready for harvest, so they could do their candy making for the holidays. James was a member of The Brotherhood Railroad Trainmen and United Transportation Union, a 50 year member of BPOE #1608 Needles, and a lifetime member of American Legion Post No. 145 in Needles. James was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Benjamin Leroy, Carl Edwards, Lee Russel, and sister, Jewell Irene. James is survived by his sister, Sylvia Henkel, Gardena, Calif.; three brothers, Richard, N. Platte, Neb., Jack (Mary) of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Willard (Debra) of St. Paul, Neb.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be held at a later time at Desert Lawn Memorial Gardens, Mohave Valley.