George Alton Pedersen

George Alton Pedersen, 99, died on January 26, 2020 at Western Nebraska Veterans Home in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Service will be held on Monday, February 3, 10:30 am at Faith Lutheran Church in Gering, Nebraska with Reverend Richard Neugebauer officiating. Interment will follow at 2:45 pm at the Crawford City Cemetery in Crawford, Nebraska with military honors by the United States Navy Honor Guard. Visitation will be at Gering Memorial Chapel on Sunday, February 2, from 1 to 4 pm. Online condolences may be left at www.geringchapel.com

George was born on July 14, 1920, in Dawes County, Nebraska, the sixth of nine children born to John and Lydia (nee Oxford) Pedersen. He attended school at Marsland, Nebraska. George’s first job was on the Hickey Ranch near Marsland. It was there that he met Gertrude James. They were married on August 2, 1942.

George joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. He served aboard the USS Brooks in the southwest Pacific Ocean and South China Sea during World War II. The USS Brooks was the first allied surface ship to enter the South China Sea after the Japanese occupation. The ship was stuck by a Japanese kamikaze plane on January 6, 1945, during a mine sweeping operation in Lingayen Gulf. The Australian ship HMAS Warramunga pulled alongside and picked up all survivors. Later George was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon with four stars for Consolidation of Southern Solomons, New Guinea Operation, Bismarck Archipelago Operation, and Marianas Operation; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars.

After the war, George resided in Gering. He was employed by Cook Packing Company in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and continued there after Swift and Company acquired the facility. When Swift closed the operation in 1977, George worked at Panhandle Concrete until he retired.

George was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Rhoda Lucas and Daisy Walker, brothers Edward, Nels, Roy, Samuel, William, and Benjamin. His wife Gertrude died in 2006 after sixty-four years of marriage. His daughter Joann Loseke died in 2013. He is survived by his daughter Judy Pedersen of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; granddaughter Michelle Loseke of Redmond, Washington; son-in-law Melvin Loseke of Gering, Nebraska; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church or any veterans organization.