Jessie Kleinsmith Pederson, 96, of Vernal, passed away at the Uintah Care Center on Jan. 22.

Jessie was born on Oct. 23, 1915 in Cut Bank, Mont. to Charles and Mary Paul Kleinsmith. She was reborn through the Sacrament of Baptism in 1921, and confirmed his faith in Christ as her Lord and Savior at her Confirmation in 1947 at the Lutheran Church in Cut Bank.

She married Pete Pederson on June 12, 1937 in Cut Bank. They are the parents to four children; Barbara (Denis) Bilbey of Vernal, Utah, Pastor Ronald (Barbara) Pederson of Haven, Wisconsin, Gayle (Frank) Andrejack of Glendale, Arizona, and Kathleen (Laine) Burrows of Vernal, Utah. She has 12 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Jessie is survived by her children. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband; Pete, two sisters, two brothers, two grandchildren, and one son-in-law.

A joyous celebration of resurrection into eternal life service is to be held on Friday morning, Jan. 27, 2012, at 11 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Vernal. An opportunity to say goodbye to Jessie will be held Thursday evening from 6-8 and Friday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Blackburn Vernal Mortuary. Burial will be in the Vernal Memorial Park. Services were entrusted to the care of the Blackburn Vernal Mortuary. Donations can be made to the Myrtle Johnson Scholarship Fund at Our Savior Lutheran Church (P.O. Box 342 Vernal, Utah 84078).