Keith Pedersen

Keith Alvin Pedersen, 93, left this earthly life on October 20, 2023, in his home, surrounded by members of his family. He was born on August 15, 1930, to Oliver Cowdery Pedersen and Phoebe Gold Gedge Pedersen in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Keith had an adventurous childhood, being the third of 10 children. He was a tall, gangly kid, which served him well, as he played basketball for Granite High School, then in the Army, and later for Brigham Young University, where he received his Bachelors and Masters degrees. Keith served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Danish Mission (the land of his heritage) from June 1950-December 1952.

While at BYU, he met the love of his life, Halene Lawrence. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 16, 1955. Keith went on to spend his professional career as a Seminary and Institute Teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Keith and Halene were the parents to six children: Michael, Stephen, Jan, Dan, Cindy, and Jared. After Keith's retirement, he and Halene served a mission together in the Washington, Spokane Mission, where Halene passed away in 1994. Since then, Keith immersed himself in family history work. He found thousands of family members (many of them in Halene's line) and has either done their temple work, or provided the name cards for family members to assist in doing that work. His children and many of his grandchildren have fond memories of going to the temple together to do family names.

The last few years of his life, he could be found at the temple nearly every day, going to multiple endowment sessions to assist those family members on the other side of the veil. Keith also served as a Family History Missionary at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City later in life. In addition to all of the work he did for both he and Halene's families, he also helped others do that same work for theirs.

When he wasn't doing family history, Keith could be found out in his legendary garden. He not only provided produce for his family's food storage, but gave freely to the ward and donated literally tons and tons of food to the Utah Food Bank. He, year after year, won hundreds of ribbons (mostly blue) for his gardening entries in the Salt Lake County and Utah State Fairs. He was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Salt Lake County Fair several years ago.

Keith also loved sports, hunting, and fishing with his family.

Some of Keith's last words, before he left this life, were, "I love this family!"

Keith is preceded in death by his wife Halene; his children Stephen and Jan; his siblings, Herbert (Marva Jean), Herschel (Shirley), Kent (Jean), Remore (Conrad) Gerber, and Elray (Pearl). He is survived by his siblings, Gaylen (Mary Ann), Gilbert (Carma), Karen (Keith) Braithwaite, and Pheobe (Richard) Eason; his children, Mike (Drucilla), Dan (Karen), Cindy (Steve) Aston, and Jared (Holly); his 18 grandchildren, and his 29 great grandchildren.

A viewing will be held on Thursday evening, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on October 26, 2023 at the McDougal Funeral Home at 4330 South Redwood Road (Taylorsville, Utah).

Funeral services will be on Friday, October 27, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at the church on 2450 West 10400 South (South Jordan, Utah). There will be a viewing prior from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Interment, Valley Viiew Memorial Park, 4400 West 4100 South, West Valley City.