Browse the obituary of Reverend Hans Pedersen October 10 1927 December 30 2022 residing in Fanwood, New Jersey for funeral burial details. Write a message of sympathy or a last tribute to perpetue the friendship thread
October 10 1927 December 30 2022
Obituary REVEREND HANS PEDERSEN. My Dad. Writing about my father is an easy task and yet difficult as well. He accomplished so very much in his lifetime, that it makes for a wonderful story, but to condense it into a few paragraphs is difficult, but I will try… He was born in Fords New Jersey on October 10th 1927 to Danish immigrants Viggo and Klara Pedersen, in the house that his carpenter father built for the family. He was the eldest of three children, and shared a tiny room with his brother Poul. Annie was the baby sister. He was very handsome (he looked a lot like James Dean!) and smart, with a strong spiritual hunger that would color his life and eventually move him toward a life of ministry. He was raised Lutheran, but eventually became a part of the Assemblies Of God Church. He joined the Navy during World War II, and was stationed in Gulfport Mississippi where he was trained as a radio technician. He and his brother developed a love for airplanes and pursued flying as a hobby, owning several small planes. I was a very lucky child to have the privilege and thrill of many weekends spent in the air with my father showing me New Jersey from a few hundred feet above the ground. Evidently I was prone to falling asleep in the copilot’s seat, and even now I struggle to stay awake on an airplane. My parents met in Ebenezer church in Elizabeth on October 17, 1956, got engaged at 2:30 in the morning on November 12, 1956, and were married on January 26, 1957. I arrived on August 23, 1958. They had a wonderful relationship based on their love for each other and their Lord, and extreme generosity to anyone who needed it. While we lived in a small house in Roselle NJ, they offered a place to stay and a meal to many strangers in need, as well as taking in my mother’s sister’s two boys when she died suddenly at 39 years old. We then moved to Westfield where they continued to open our home to others in need, even forgiving and taking in a young man who stole equipment from my dad’s television repair business. He saw the good in everyone, and was always ready to share God’s love. In the late 60s and 70s when the hippies and drug culture was making it’s mark my father opened a coffee house in a second floor apartment above his business where he offered free coffee and conversation. This gave him a chance to reach out to the lost youth of the area, and to offer them the hope of salvation and a new life in Christ. He had other television repair jobs, and for a period of time worked at Foremost Manufacturing in Union NJ, but was always involved in ministry as a volunteer until he took a job at Evangel Church as the Minister of Pastoral care. He spent time visiting the sick and, teaching Sunday school and Bible studies, and praying with and counseling those in need. My mother passed away in 1998 after a 13 year battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. My father was her caregiver for all those years, and did it with grace and a sense of humor that kept all of us positive. After he retired from ministry, he continued to go and visit the sick and spent hours praying and studying his Bible. I have never been in his home when there wasn’t at least two or three Bibles open with lots of notes in the margins and red magic marker underlining everywhere. My relationship with my father has always been a very special one. We share a weird sense of humor, loving to laugh at the silliest things and have always had the same philosophy on how to treat others and the importance of gratitude. He gave me the courage to try whatever interested me, and by his own admission raised me to be able to survive well should I ever find myself alone. He taught me to stand up for myself, while giving grace to others. His advice has been spot on when I’ve needed direction, and we have always respected each others’ independence. He never asked for much from me, but has never hung up the phone or said goodbye without saying “Thanks for all you do for me”. So now it’s my turn to say in front of all of you here…Dad…Thanks for all you have done for me. You are the best father a girl could ever ask for, and I will carry your spirit with me, along with the strength mom instilled in me until my own final breath. Rest in the embrace of The God you spent your life serving, and may you find true joy in His service throughout eternity. I Love You. Until we meet again… your loving daughter,Kathi Donations in memory of Hans Pedersen can be made to: “Center For Hope Hospice and Palliative Care” 1900 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains NJ. 07076. They also accept donations of clothing, housewares, and gift items etc at their store “The Hope Chest”: 26 Prospect St, Westfield, NJ 07090. These donated items are sold to help cover the cost of charity care for those in need of care who cannot afford to pay the full cost. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Reverend Hans , please visit our Tree Store or plant a tree. Read more
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Reverend Hans Pedersen October 10 1927 December 30 2022.
Death notice for the town of: Fanwood, state: New Jersey