Don Pedersen

(From Sisco Funeral Home)

Donald Bondo Pedersen of Pea Ridge, Arkansas died on July 17, 2022. He was born at Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 5, 1938 and was adopted at age 9 months by the late Rev. Laurits H. Pedersen and Ellen (Bondo) Pedersen, then of Harlan, Iowa.

Laurits served overseas in WWII and Ellen and Don lived in various places during his absence – including Farmington, Duluth and Northfield, Minnesota. After the war the family moved to Fort Meade, South Dakota. near Sturgis and in 1951 to Waukesha, Wisconsin. Don was educated in the public schools of Duluth, Northfield, Sturgis and Waukesha where he graduated from High School in 1956.

Don received a B.A. from St. Olaf College in 1960 and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1963. On May 4, 1963 he married Audrey Ramona Johnson originally of Watertown, South Dakota. Don worked eight summers for the U.S. Forest Service on the Kaniksu National Forest in Idaho fighting fires and dealing with blister rust control. Audrey joined him for the last two summers.

After a year at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where oldest son, Ted, was born, Don and Audrey moved to Wheaton, Minnesota where Don practiced law in the firm of Winter, Lundquist, Sherwood and Pedersen. In 1969 he joined the faulty of William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul and the family lived in Apple Valley. In 1973 he was appointed to the faculty of Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, teaching one summer at the University of Detroit.

In June, 1983 the family, including six children and three dogs, moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas where Don became Professor of Law and Director of the Graduate Agricultural Law Program at the University of Arkansas. He served as President of the American Agricultural Law Association and was the coauthor of several books and published many articles – with an emphasis on agricultural law issues. In 1989 he received from the Arkansas Alumni Association a Distinguished Award for Teaching, Research and Service.

In 1998 Don took an early retirement and Audrey and Don moved to Pea Ridge where they became active in church music, family history projects and care of their property. Don was an avid amateur pianist. Don had a great interest in classical music and studied piano extensively with several highly professional teachers. He performed and accompanied throughout his life including piano concertos by Greig, Liszt and Mozart.

Don was preceded in death by Audrey, daughter Holly and grandson, Dillon Jones.

Don is survived by his son, Ted Pedersen (Ayda) of Duluth, MN., daughter Barbara Harmon of Fayetteville, daughter Paula Pedersen (Greg Miller) of Diamond, MO, daughter Donna Davis (Jason) of Fayetteville, and son Roger Pedersen of Lowell; nine grandchildren, Gillian, Oden, Alyssa, Spenser, Jessica, Erin, Austin, McCall and Nina; and seven great grandchildren Hailey, Noah, Mason, Emily, Audrey Wren, Jett, and Audrey Rose.

Don was an active member of Brightwater Memorial United Methodist Church for many years, where a memorial service will be held on August 6th at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Brightwater UMC, the Donald B. Pedersen Scholarship at the University of Arkansas Law School, or Oaks Indian Mission P.O. Box 130, Oaks, Oklahoma, 73359.

A memorial service is set for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Brightwater Memorial United Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be made at siscofuneralhome.net