Paula Yvonne Pederson

Paula Yvonne DeLoach Pederson was born on August 27, 1948, one of nine children born to Homer Daniel Sr. and Josie Bell DeLoach. And if you knew her, you know that being part of that big DeLoach family meant laughter, tussling, strong personalities… and yes, a little bit of that famous DeLoach temper.

Paula had the most beautiful hands. That's something many of us remember. Hands that could take plain fabric and turn it into something treasured. Aunt Hattie taught her the art of tatting, and she created delicate lace and beautiful handiwork. She made Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for her children and a niece when they were small. She sewed Easter dresses, dolls and doll clothes, costumes for performances, and even wedding dresses for her first three daughters. She was approached once to be a hand model.

One memory shared was of a white flannel nightgown she made for an eight-year-old niece. It had the most gorgeous details, and it was so loved that decades later, it is still remembered.

She sewed costumes for children performing in Sunshine Generation and Showtime, where she worked for Pamela Smith, to cover the cost of her children's participation. She volunteered every summer with the Crime Prevention Program for at-risk youth in St. Augustine, Florida. Paula wrote to the ladies in prison and became pen pals when asked by a friend. She also volunteered to take sign language classes so she could interpret and communicate with the Deaf members of the small branch. She made quick friends with them, and they would often be at the house, requiring her help. She was always a loyal friend. She passed on that love of the Deaf and sign language to her children. She had a generous spirit for volunteering outside her home. Her siblings remember that she would share whatever she had.

Paula graduated from Orange Memorial Hospital nursing school in 1970. Even as a young girl, she was bright and capable in school. During her teenage years, she endured a tremendous physical trial-bedridden for three months, later wearing a brace and then a corset for nearly a year. Imagine being 12 to 15 years old and facing that. And yet she did her schoolwork from that hospital bed. She did not complain, simply quietly endured.

She was married to David Ralph Pederson on January 2, 1970. They were married for 41 years until his passing on November 11, 2011. That very first year of marriage brought an infant son, Matthew David. Over the next 12 years, she gave birth to eight children.

Her greatest earthly gift to her children was giving them one another. Brothers and sisters who became best friends.

Life was not easy. She suffered from many physical ailments and was often bedridden while her children were growing up. There were years of financial hardship and emotional distress that were felt by the whole family. Utilities were often shut off. Water didn't always run. But somehow, Christmas always came. She found ways to make it special. She made dolls. She made dresses. She made magic out of very little.

She loved musicals from the 1960s like Camelot and The Sound of Music.

She loved babies. She loved reading and passed that love on to her children. Often, when putting them down for a nap, they were allowed to pick books, and she would read to them until they fell asleep. She was service-oriented outside her home and was very religious. Even as a young girl, she had a powerful testimony of faith and was strictly honest. If one of her kids didn't want to talk to someone on the phone and instead told the caller they weren't home, she would make them go outside around the block so we could then say that child wasn't home and couldn't come to the phone.

She was also the angel who listened to a prompting that led to introducing a beloved sister, Ava Jean, to the man who would become her husband-a blessing still cherished today.

Growing up, she shared beds with sisters, placed belts down the middle to claim her side, and endured teasing with fiery determination. She could be strong-willed, but she would apologize afterward. She was accident-prone as a child, surviving serious injuries with courage, including a frightening glass-door accident that required over 100 stitches.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Homer Daniel Sr. and Josie Bell, her sister Betty Jo, her husband David, and her beloved son Scott Daniel.

She is survived by her children:

Matthew (Deana), Tracy (Michael), Kelly (Curt), Jason (Fabiola), Jody, (Shaunna), Paul (Brianna), and Julie (Skyler).

Her siblings: Nancy Sue, Homer Daniel Jr., Patricia, Kathy, George, Ava Jean, and David;

And many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

We will remember her beautiful hands.

Her creativity.

Her temper.

Her testimony.

And the family she bore.

Paula's life was not one of ease-but it was one of creation, resilience, faith, and love given the best she knew how.

She leaves behind a legacy of 8 children, 27 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Who grew to love each other fiercely.

Graveside services for Paula Pederson will be held on Monday, March 9, 2026 at 3:00 PM in the Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah.

You are invited to watch the graveside through the Zoom link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87170924954?pwd=k89Y67Bbaike0aQAEj9OULlU5Nrdi4.1