Budd L. Pedersen

Budd L. Pedersen, age 82, of Scotland, South Dakota, died Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM on Friday, April 30, 2021, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota.  The funeral will be recorded and posted on Budd’s obituary page at www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com following the funeral.  Burial will be in Our Savior’s West Cemetery in rural Menno, South Dakota with military honors provide by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791 and the Patriot Guard.  Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 29, 2021, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.  Following the burial, everyone is invited to the Lesterville Hall for a potluck lunch.  In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Marine’s Toys for Tots Program. Pallbearers will be his grandsons: Christopher List, Travis List, Braden Wolfe, Skyler Wolfe, Shane Fiechuk, Alex Mitchell, Matthew Mitchell and Riley Haggan.  Honorary pallbearers will be his brothers: Paul Pedersen, Marlow Pedersen, Larry Pedersen, Harold Pedersen, Sidney Pedersen and Leo Pedersen. Budd L. Pedersen was born August 25, 1938, on his maternal great grandfather’s homestead a few miles west of Meckling, South Dakota, to Ole and Bertha (Peterson) Pedersen.  He was baptized on December 4, 1938 at Trinity Danish Lutheran Church in Gayville, South Dakota.  His family moved to Lesterville, South Dakota and Budd attended school at the rural Cedar Grove #37.  He was confirmed on May 24, 1953 at Christian Congregational Church.  He attended Scotland High School where he played football, basketball and track, graduating in 1957.  He worked on the farm for a year and then attended Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, South Dakota from 1958 to 1959 where he was majoring in Physical Education as well as playing basketball and running track. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in October of 1959, serving six years and was stationed in California; Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines.  In October of 1962 he participated in the Cuban blockade aboard the USS Iwo Jima.  He received an honorable discharge and returned to the family farm until re-enlisting in July of 1968.  He deployed to Vietnam with Gulf Company Fourth Marine Regiment Third Marine Division.  He participated in four large scale combat operations and numerous small skirmishes. He was medevac’d to the United States via the US Naval Hospital in Guam and ended up in the Naval Hospital in California.  It was determined due to his injuries that he would be retired on January 1, 1972.    Budd was a devoted Marine who received several decorations for his service to his country, including the Purple Heart. He married Carol Evenson on May 25, 1973.  Budd returned to South Dakota after the war and enrolled at USD in Springfield, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in 1974.  He then attended USD in Vermillion, receiving a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology in 1975.  He then began a Masters Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation and was employed by the Disabled American Veterans in January of 1977.  He worked at the Veterans Administration in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where he counseled and assisted veterans, helping them receive their benefits.  In April of 1983 he was transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he served until his retirement in 1991.  He moved to Scotland, South Dakota and was employed by Harms Oil Company, delivering gas and diesel to truck stops and convenience stores.  He retired on December 31, 2003 and in his retirement, he enjoyed working in his garden, reading westerns, doing crossword puzzles, and traveling south for the winter. Survivors include his four children: Shawna (Tony) Fiechuk of Yankton, South Dakota; Kristina (Eric) Wolfe of North Pole, Alaska; Jeffrey (Gloria) List of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Charles Pedersen of Scotland, South Dakota; 12 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; three brothers: Harold Pedersen of Milaca, Minnesota; Sidney (Nancy) Pedersen of Oxnard, California; and Leo (Linda) Pedersen of Scotland, South Dakota; two sisters-in-law, Donna Pedersen of Miller, South Dakota and Bernice Pedersen of Scotland, South Dakota as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Carol Pedersen; son, Tim Pedersen; three brothers: Larry, Marlow and Paul Pedersen; nephew, Thomas Pedersen and niece, Michelle Stearns.  

FUNERAL SERVICE

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VIDEO TRIBUTE