West Branch, Iowa Leslie “Les” A. Pedersen, 92, of West Branch, died January 23, 2013 at Crestview Nursing and Rehab Center in West Branch. Funeral services will be held at 11:30AM on Monday, January 28, 2013 at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch. Visitation will be held 2 hour before the service from 9:30-11:30A.M. Burial will be at Honey Grove Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the West Branch First Responders. Les was born March 22, 1920 in West Branch, the son of Anders and Constance Jensen Pedersen. He graduated from West Branch High School in 1938. Les served as a P-51 crew chief in the United States Army Air Corp during World War II. After the war, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Brown on June 8, 1946 in Iowa City. Together they bought a farm near West Branch where they have resided for 66 years. He was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, West Branch American Legion, and the West Branch Masonic Lodge. Les was a federal security at the Herbert Hoover Library in West Branch for 25 years. He was a recipient of General Services Citation. He also drove a school bus for special needs kids for the West Branch School System for 12 years. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth of 66 years, 3 children: Sandy (John) Fiderlein of West Branch, Jan (John) Grimm of West Branch and Dave Pedersen of Orlando, Florida; 6 grandchildren: Brian (Diane) Fiderlein of St. Louis Park, MN, Chad (Deb) Fiderlein of West Branch, Kelly (Jason) Brubaker of North Liberty, J.D. (Tammy) Grimm of North Liberty, Jason (Trisha) Grimm of Solon, David Pedersen Jr., of Orlando, Florida; and 7 great grandchildren: Cael and Wyatt Fiderlein, Ellie and J.J. Grimm, Owen and Alisha Grimm, and Ashlyn Brubaker. He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 brothers: Ray and Norm and 1 sister Shirley Sondergard. Monday January 28, 2013, 11:30AM at Henderson-Barker Funeral Home West Branch Click for Map and Directions Monday January 28, 2013, 9:30 - 11:30AM at Henderson-Barker Funeral Home West Branch Click for Map and Directions