Mr. Arthur Pedersen

PEDERSEN, Arthur Hall, 92, died surrounded by children and grandchildren on Flag Day, June 14. Devoted husband of 51 years of the late Ida May Pedersen, nee: Prentiss, he was a long time resident of Webster Groves.

Born in Tampa, Florida, Mr. Pedersen grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology (Armour), and began his career at Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland in 1941. There he won a Purple Martin Award for inventions in the stress analysis of aeronautical design. He joined McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in l950 and was LPE (lead project engineer) on the Phantom 1, the Banshee, Demon, Voodoo, F4, and contributed to design of the Mercury and Gemini spacecraft among other projects. Mr. Pedersen retired early and pioneered development of solar energy and other alternative technologies.

Mr. Pedersen is the loving father of Arthur Pedersen, Lois Eleanore Pedersen, Melvin (Lila) Pedersen, Peg Pedersen, Penny (Tom) Coyner, Ingrid (John) Burnett, Mark (Elizabeth) Pedersen. His son, Martin (Pam) Pedersen, died in September 2000. He is survived by seventeen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. He is the dear brother of Betty Vogelmann and the late Marilyn Pedersen and Joyce Cara, uncle and great uncle.

Memorial Service at 2 p.m. Saturday, June l8, 2011, Bethany Lutheran Church, 407 Fairview Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pave the Way Campaign in support of Blackburn Park, call 963-5438 for more information. Family & Friends may sign the guest book at www.gerberchapel.com