Obituary of David Martin Pederson

To Watch the recording of the service click this link: https://video.ibm.com/embed/recorded/133039310

6 October 1944 – 9 September 2023

David was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and a fast friend. He was a farmer, carpenter, and impromptu problem solver, always ready in a pinch with his pocket vice-grips. Warm and open, he was interested in people and was a charming and considerate listener. He was great fun, and liked nothing more than sharing jokes, stories, and his terrible, excellent puns. Rooted in Saskatchewan by a deep love of the land, he had a lifelong curiosity about the world that he explored through books, conversation, and travel.

David was born in Kendal, England to an English speech pathologist mother and Norwegian-Canadian flying officer father. Beloved by his Lancashire relations, to whom he was “Our David”, he was also the first of 38 Pederson grandchildren. In 1946, he and his mother Kathleen sailed to Halifax and slowly rode by special war bride train to Saskatchewan. His little sister Gayle was born in 1947, sharing the same warm heart and mischievous sense of humour. 

David grew up as a City Park kid in Saskatoon: walking to school, riding the streetcar to Saturday movies, delivering newspapers, and biking across the train bridge with friends to explore fields and prairie. But always knowing that he wanted to farm, he enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the U of S in 1962. He met Elaine Hansen in their first-year English class and they married in June 1967, honeymooning in swinging London, the north of England, and Scotland. He spent their first married year driving taxis in Saskatoon and drilling water wells with his Uncle Ray while Elaine worked as a public health nurse, and in 1969 they moved out to the farm. 

Together, David and Elaine built their home northeast of Hawarden, planting 50,000 trees, farming for 45 years, and raising three daughters: Susan, Sandy, and Jennifer. He loved the light and beauty of the prairie, its wildlife, birds, and night skies. He took pride in producing food for his family and the world, and in 2019, he and Sandy toured Ghana to learn how farmers use radio and mobile phones to help themselves. He and Elaine explored more than a dozen countries together.

David was community-minded, helping at the Hawarden rinks and serving on local school and recreation boards, Kenaston Credit Union board, Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission, and UGG. He was a proud founding member of the farmer-led Gardiner Dam Terminal. In Saskatoon, he built a new community of friends, playing bridge, volunteering at the Western Development Museum, and supporting the work of the Saskatoon Community Foundation. He re-embraced city life, riding his electric bike along the river and enjoying restaurants, shows, and weekly trips to the farmer’s market.

With great love, he cared for Elaine after her diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. In 2013, they moved to Parkville Manor and up until her death in 2017, he was devoted and attentive, reading to her daily, and doing everything he could to keep them together. At the same time, he rode out major health challenges of his own with stoicism and trademark humour. 

An involved dad, he was endlessly supportive and interested in what we were doing, ready to lend a hand or sympathetic ear, and proud of who we had become. He loved visiting us, helping with projects and crossword clues, and enjoying the rejuvenated house, yard, and garden on the farm. He took great joy in his grandchildren, who loved him very much and inherited his knack for cribbage and crokinole.

David was predeceased by his wife Elaine, parents Martin and Kathleen, sister Gayle Cook, in-laws Marvin and Olive Hansen, and brother-in-law Gordon Hansen. He will be profoundly missed by his daughters and their families, Susan (Peter), John and Bucky; Sandy (James); and Jen (Doug), Owyn, Milo, and Dawson; brother-in-law Alan (Kathy) and their family; sister-in-law Fran; brother-in-law Rick and his family; and much-loved cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in David’s memory to the Pederson Family Fund at Saskatoon Community Foundation (https://saskatooncommunityfoundation.ca/funds/pederson-family-fund/ 306-665-1754) or to Farm Radio International https://give.farmradio.org/give / 1-888-773-7717

A celebration of David’s life will be held on Friday, September 15, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Saskatoon Funeral Home. The service will be livestreamed by the link at the top of this page for those unable to attend in person.