Eiler B. Pederson
Eiler B Pederson passed away peacefully Tuesday June 23, 2020, at the age of 90 at St. Joseph’s hospital in Thunder Bay. He was born May 6, 1930 at Sundøy, Leirfjord in the northern Norway. He was the son of Paula Brattli and Edvin Pedersen. He grew up on a farm with with his mother Paula and his stepfather Aksel Brattli. At the age of nine he got a sister,, Elin and a few years later two little brothers, Oddbjorn and Karsten. His grandfather Elias and his cousins lived in the same house and on the neighbor farms close by, he had relatives and friends living. Eiler attended school at Sundøy and studied more when he came to Canada. Before he left Norway he was winter fishing up north in Lofoten.
In november 1949 at the age of 19, Eiler emigrated to Canada. He had met his father Edvin when he was visiting Norway with his family in 1947 and then he started thinking about seeking new adventures. In Port Arthur he lived with his father Edvin,his stepmother Mabel and his sisters & brothers Eleanor, Shirley, Raymond, Edward & Gordon.
In 1950 he met the love of his life Margaret Anderson and their magnificent journey began including 64 wonderful years of marriage before Margaret passed away in 2016. Eiler and Margaret loved to travel and see new places, but their most cherished memories of travelling came from their many trips to Norway to visit the norwegian family. Their first trip together was the wedding trip in 1952 and after that they went back as often as they could. He loved fishing, hiking in the mountains and visiting family and friends on his journeys to Norway. Eilers last trip visiting Norway was in 2017. The family in Norway always looked forward getting visits from Eiler & Margaret and everybody has many great memories of a kind and loving brother & uncle. We remember him telling a lot of stories, both true and false, and he wrote long letters telling the family about his life. He was talking and writing norwegian with his norwegian family his whole life, even after 71 years in Canada!
Eiler has always loved doing gardening, at the time they had their house he had a lovely garden with lots of flowers and vegetables. After they sold their house he had a garden at his sister in law, Liz’s place and he did the flowers outside the condo in Hodder Avenue for a few years. At the holidays in Norway he always did gardening at the farm.
Eiler & Margaret had a close relationship to Margaret's family, especially her sister Elisabet (Liz) and her two sons Allan & Rick. In 1967 Eilers sister Elin and her son Erlend came living with them for one year. And later they have had many visits from the norwegian family. Eilers nephew Roar came on his first visit in 1994 and has been back several times after that.
Eiler worked at Abitibi Price Paper Mill for 39 years & 6 months and retired in 1990.
Eiler is remembered and will be missed by, his norwegian family; As a dear brother of Elin Brattli Støver (Arne), Oddbjørn Brattli (Britha), and Karsten Brattli (Reidun),as a loving uncle of Roar S. Brattli, Eirik S. Brattli (Guri) with family, Kristin Brattli with family, Vidar Brattli (Sonja) with family and Benny Brattli (Linda) with family as well as his dear cousin Åse Nyland.
His canadian family; as a dear brother of Eleanor Johnson (Alfred), Shirley LaForme (Gerald), Edward Pedersen (Jackie), Gordon Pedersen (Margy) and, sister in law Florence Pedersen, and his dear nieces Beth Churchman, Pam Johnson, Judith Dechamps & Karen Chrenek and the rest of the nieces & nephews.
His Extended family Rick Guerard (Arlene) and Margaret's cousin Katherine Macey (Ron).
Eiler is predeceased by his wife Margaret, his parents, brother Raymond Pedersen and nephews Erlend Brattli and Alan Guerard.
Should friends desire, memorial donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association would be appreciated. Arrangements entrusted to the Sargent & Son Funeral Chapel, 21 N. Court Street. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.