Colleen Kay Pedersen

This world lost one of its brightest stars when Colleen Kay Knight Pedersen passed from the loving arms of her devoted husband to the waiting arms of her Savior on March 2, 2019, at the age of 60. Colleen was born January 21, 1959 to Curtis Allen and Carol Lou Bamberg Knight, the second of six children. She grew up in Freeport, Illinois, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she graduated from Brighton High School. She married Kris T Pedersen for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on September 23, 1977.

Family and friends meant everything to Colleen. She loved being a wife and mother, and poured herself into those roles with great relish and enthusiasm. She was the fun mom in the neighborhood, sharing her joie de vivre with everyone around her. She created fabulous family traditions, and loved hosting big family holiday parties for her siblings and their children.

Colleen was a creative genius – a gift which she lavished on her family, ward, and community. She was a master party planner and emcee and was a consummate entertainer. She won awards for her writing, art, singing, and costume design and was unequaled as a wordsmith and language expert. Colleen’s creative accomplishments spanned the visual arts, culinary arts, performing arts, literary arts, a wide variety of crafts, and game design. If you can picture a tuffet-making Beatles enthusiast wearing a road kill costume while frosting a German chocolate cake, surrounded by steam punk Titanic décor and her own original artwork, you undoubtedly knew Colleen!

Colleen never stopped taking formal courses or reading and studying on her own. She had a voracious appetite for learning and for developing her talents. She was never satisfied with what she had achieved but always sought to learn more and increase her abilities. She was a lifelong and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings but especially loved being the Primary chorister and creating memorable road shows. As a Relief Society teacher, she kept everyone in stitches while masterfully teaching serious and uplifting concepts with tact and dignity. Colleen loved the Lord and served all around her tirelessly, even when her health began to fail.

Colleen will be deeply missed by her beloved husband, Kris, her three children, Layne (Liz), Tristan (Trish), and Teardra, her siblings David, Phillip (Cheryl), Mary-Ellen (Ron) Neerings, Sandra (CyDore) Dennison and brother-in-law, Scott Holt, as well as countless nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Stephanie Holt.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, March 7, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Canyon Rim 1st Ward at 3100 East 3000 South, Salt Lake City, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 8, at 11 a.m. with visitation that morning from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at the Canyon Rim 1st Ward. Colleen will be laid to rest at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to gofundme.com/colleen-pederson-funeral.