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Rita Rae Pedersen

CROFTON — Rita Rae Pedersen, 64, Crofton, died Dec. 31, 2017, at her residence.

Visitation was Jan. 3 at the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington, and resumed Thursday at the church.

Funeral Services were Jan. 4 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Hartington, with Rev. Amanda Talley officiating. Burial was in the Hartington City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Dominic, Owen, Wade, Ashlyn, Gage and Dawson Pedersen.

Honorary pallbearers were Raelyn and Ryker Pedersen.

Rita was born March 24, 1953, in Estherville, Iowa, to Dwayne Alvin and Virginia (Stefanski) Cummins. She moved to Hartington as a young girl and graduated from Hartington High School in 1971. Rita married Leon Pedersen Nov. 26, 1971, in Hartington. They made their home in Hartington and Rita worked at MTron in Yankton, S.D., in 1972 and 1973. She spent the next 15 years caring for her four sons, and in 1988, she began working at HTI in Hartington as a telephone sales representative supervisor and finally as the head supervisor. In 2007, they purchased the Eagles Roost near the Yankton dam and made their home there. She began working at the First National Bank Card Center, Yankton, in 2008.

Rita was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Hartington, and enjoyed camping, boating, motorcycles, especially her Harley, and traveling. She helped her brother, Dennis, at the Cedar County Raceway for many years.

Rita is survived by her husband, Leon, Crofton; four sons, Eric Pedersen, Allen; Ben Pedersen, Crofton; Clint Pedersen, Omaha; Casey Pedersen, Crofton; eight grandchildren, Dominic, Owen, Wade, Ashlyn, Gage, Dawson, Raelyn and Ryker Pedersen; and a sister-in-law, Kathy and Tom Uhl, Dakota Dunes, S.D.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Dennis Cummins; and a nephew, David Cummins.

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