Dolores "Dee" Pederson, age 89, of Rolfe, passed away on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at the Palo Alto County Health System in Emmetsburg, Iowa.

Dolores Marlene Hendrickson was born on January 28, 1934, in Independence, Missouri. She was the daughter of Fred and Eva (Pugh) Hendrickson. In 1934, she was awarded a silver cup, as a prize winner in the Sears National Baby Contest. She attended elementary and middle school in Kansas City, Lone Jack and Warsaw all in Missouri. In 1948, her family moved to Rolfe where she graduated from Rolfe High School in 1952. On September 5, 1953, Dolores was united in marriage to Kenneth Pederson at the United Methodist Church in Rolfe. In 1954, they moved to Augusta, GA for a year and then to Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They then returned to Rolfe in 1956 where Dee worked for attorney John Brinkman for several years. In 1972, she worked at the Rolfe Care Center for a short time and then became employed by the Rolfe State Bank. At the bank, Dee worked as a teller and in the insurance department, retiring from full-time work in 1996 and she continued to work part-time for several years. Kenny passed away in 2009 and Dee continued to make her home in Rolfe.

Dee was a member the American Legion Auxiliary, The Freedom Girls, Rolfe Friends of the Library, P.E.O. Chapter FR, the Ministerial Fund and the Rolfe Bible Study Group. She was a past member of the Shared Ministry of Rolfe and the Shared Ministry Women where she taught Sunday School and was an M.Y.F. leader. In 1951, Dee represented the Rolfe High School as "Band Queen" for 1952 and in her later years she was honored as Grand Marshall for Greater Rolfe Days.

Survivors include her four children, Curt (Jeanne) Pederson of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Craig (Anne) Pederson of Des Moines, Troy (Phil) Pederson of Orlando, Florida and Tammy (Jim) Shimon of Rolfe; 7 grandchildren, Rob, Jackie (Brad), Mike (Jackie), Jeanne (Jeremy), Jarod (Jackie), Ryan (Robin) and Nikita; 15 great-grandchildren and her special dog, Baby Girl.

Dee was preceded in death by her parents, Eva and Fred Hendrickson; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mae and Cecil Pederson; husband, Kenneth; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Janet and Don Rabbitt.

Below is a link to a recording of Dee's Memorial Service. Please note that due to some technical difficulties, a portion of the service is missing from the recording.

https://youtu.be/pdnqDRPCSWA