Obituaries : Wineva Pederson

Wineva Pederson, 98, of Des Moines and Vinton, died peacefully, Friday, May 24th of congestive heart failure.

Winifred Wineva Spickard was born to Onetta Mageehon and John Spickard in Walnut, Kansas on October 15, 1925.

Wineva grew up on the family farm in Spickard, MO, a small rural community founded by her ancestor George Alexander Spickard in 1873. Her family was conscious of the value of keeping a "good" name.

Wineva was a bright student and after high school graduation she studied for a special teaching certificate issued during WWII, then taught for two years in a rural one-room schoolhouse.

Wineva married Gerald Pederson on July 18, 1948. Gerald worked for Goodyear as a store manager and he & Wineva moved frequently as he was assigned different stores. In 1954 they purchased a Goodyear store in Vinton and moved there with their five children. They lived in Vinton the next 62 years.

They joined the First Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) where Wineva served as deacon, Elder, clerk and as treasurer for 20 years. Wineva served on the Disciples Regional Ministerial Committee and as President of Church Women United establishing a used clothing store where she worked weekly for many years.

Wineva was a member of PEO, Vinton Women's Club, and Vinton Country Club where she was a skilled golfer. During her children's early years she was a 4-H Leader and Cub Scout Den Mother.

Wineva had many close Vinton friends with whom she enjoyed golf, bridge, an investment club and morning coffees. She enjoyed daily walks by herself (she liked to keep her own pace) until the final weeks of her life.

Wineva was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald and daughter, Wineva (Eve) Mahr, her sister Evelyn and brothers Nova and John. She is survived by her son-in-law, Stephen Mahr, son Dennis Pederson (Cheryl), daughter Sally Pederson (Jim Autry), son Steve Pederson (Carol), son Alan Pederson (Julie), eleven grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at Plymouth Congregational Church on Friday, May 31st at 11:00. A reception for friends of Wineva and her family will be held at First Christian Church on Saturday, June 1st at 1:00. A private interment at Evergreen Cemetery will follow.

Memorial gifts may be made to First Christian Church or the Gerald & Wineva Pederson Fund at the Vinton Community Foundation.