94
Beresford
July 27, 2025
Joan Pedersen Nygaard (Edblom) was born January 29, 1931, to Alvin and Alice Edblom. She entered peacefully into Heaven, surrounded by her family at home, on July 27, 2025, at the age of 94.
Joan was born and raised on a farm in Beresford, South Dakota, and graduated from Beresford High School in 1949. She married her high school sweetheart, Dale Pedersen, in 1950. They shared 44 wonderful years together and were blessed with two daughters, Marsha and Cindy.
After retirement from their John Deere dealership, Pedersen Machine, Inc., Joan and Dale spent their winters in Naples, Florida, golfing and walking on the beach searching for seashells. After Dale passed away in 1994, she married her other high school sweetheart, Everett (T-Bone) Nygaard. They enjoyed 19 happy years of companionship and love. In her own words, “I had the two best husbands!”
Joan spent most of her time reading, going to the library, and hosting cookie and coffee parties for her family. She loved driving to Sioux Falls and mowing her yard (until she was 92), baking, having fires, watching her “story” (Young & the Restless), and getting her hair done by her granddaughter, Tricia. She loved being home and was very thankful she was able to remain there until the end. Her unwavering faith gave her strength through it all. In a note left for her family, she wrote, “I have had a wonderful and good long life, and I am very grateful!”
She is preceded in death by her two amazing husbands, her infant daughter “baby” Laura Lee, her parents, her brother John Edblom, and many dear friends. Very grateful to have shared her life are her daughters, Marsha Bak (Randy) and Cindy Christensen (Craig); her five grandchildren: Troy Bak, Tara Atwood (Jason), Nick Christensen (Gina), Tricia Beeson, Heather Balderach (Mikael); 15 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Carol Thompson (age 99). She will be missed dearly by all. At Joan’s request, there will be no public services.