Orris Lavern Pederson, age 103, of Viroqua, WI, passed away on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. He was born on March 31, 1921, to Mathias and Betsy (Rudser) Pederson on their home farm in rural Genoa, WI. He graduated from Viroqua High School in 1939. Orris married Garnet Ellefson in 1943 and they spent 52 years together on the farm that had been in Garnet’s family since 1893 before her passing in 1995. From the early 1950s until 1971 Orris was a mink rancher as well as farmer. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, always loving trading stories even about the one that got away, and was blessed to be able to hunt until his mid 90s. Orris was a charter member of the Viroqua Fraternal Order of Eagles for 77 years and exemplified the Eagles’ motto of ‘People Helping People’. He served as trustee, treasurer, and secretary of the local Eagles Aerie for many years. He was the WI Aerie State President in 1991-92 and Great Lakes Regional President in 1993-94. He was inducted into the WI Eagles Hall of Fame and was greatly honored in 2015 to be inducted into the National Eagles Hall of Fame. In the 1970s he and a small group of fellow Eagle members spearheaded fundraisers for cancer research. This eventually became the Eagles Cancer Telethon and through the years donated over $700,000 to the Gundersen Medical Foundation. Orris was on the board of directors at Vernon Communications for 19 years. He was a faithful member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, serving on the church council throughout the years. Orris enjoyed living on the farm his entire life with assistance from Pat and Dwain during the last 3 years.
Orris is survived by his daughter, Pat “Patsy” (Dwain) Stone of Sparta, WI; beloved nephew, Gary (Patti) Aasen of Atlanta, GA; and several special nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and wife, Garnet, Orris was preceded in death by his brothers: Oscar, Eddie, Ray, and Albon; sisters: Effie, Marie, and Gladys; sisters-in-law Marilyn (Don) Aasen; mother-in-law, Thelma Ellefson; and special nieces and nephews…