Gerald D. Pederson, 75, of Mason City, Iowa, passed away Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa in Mason City.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethel Lutheran Church in Vinje, Iowa, with the Revs. Spering Scott and Kent Mechler officiating. Inurnment will be at Bethel Lutheran Cemetery. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service. Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 E. Main St. in Lake Mills, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Gerald D. Pederson was born Feb. 25, 1939, in Lake Mills to parents Leslie and Helen (Westendorf) Pederson. He graduated from Scarville High School in 1958.

Following graduation, Gerald moved to Des Moines for vocational employment training. Later he moved to Mason City and worked for many years at North Iowa Vocational Center. Gerald moved to Good Shepherd Care Center in July of 2002.

Gerald enjoyed meeting and talking to people and had many friends around Mason City.

He was an avid sports enthusiast and statistician with interests in baseball, basketball and football. He kept up on local high school, college and professional sports and could easily quote records of teams and players. He would often write to colleges to get information about upcoming seasons and new players. Growing up with a physical disability, he could not play competitive sports, so he often told friends and family members who competed that they were his heroes.

To those who knew Gerald, he was their hero and will be sadly missed.

Gerald is survived by his mother, Helen (Westendorf) Pederson, of Cambridge, formerly of Scarville, Iowa; two brothers, David (Diane) Pederson of Bloomington and Randy (Ann) Pederson of Grand Forks, North Dakota; three sisters, Kathleen Pederson of Dumont, Iowa, Nancy (Robert) Youel of Blaine and Lorie (Robert) Callen of Cambridge; as well as three nieces, Erin Pederson, Leslie Pederson and Kate Callen; and a nephew, Stephen Callen.

He was preceded in death by his father, Leslie M. Pederson.

Memorials may be directed to the Bethel Lutheran Church Cemetery fund.

You can contact the family with online condolences at www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com.