PEDER HAROLD ESPESETH JR.

Pete had fought colon cancer since it was discovered in October of 2003. He was treated throughout 2004. Until it recurred in 2007 he continued to go around the world on short-term mission trips, hunt, fish and fulfilled a long-time ambition to “shoot a hippo.”

He died Sept. 21. A celebration of his life in Christ will be held at Settler’s Bay Community Church on Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. Visitation with his family will be at the church immediately following the service.

Pete was born Jan. 10, 1945 in Louisville, Ky., to Peder Harold Espeseth and Thelma Louise (Klingman) Espeseth. His family moved to New Albany, Ind., where he grew up and graduated from New Albany High School. He received his bachelors in education from Indiana University Southeast and his masters of education from the University of Montana.

Pete married the love of his life Susan True Bertrand, MD., on June first 1974. They lived in Seattle, Missoula, Mont., and Princeton, W.V. In November of 2003 they moved to Anchorage, moving to Wasilla the following year.

Pete taught in New Albany, Ind., at East Spring Street School before moving west. He taught at Maple Valley Christian School in the south Seattle area and at Valley Christian School in Missoula. He was associate pastor at First Church of the Nazarene in Missoula as well.

While living in Princeton, W.V., Pete developed a farm instituting the first Voisin intensive grazing system in the state, earning him “Farmer of the Year” recognition.

Throughout his life Pete was an active Christian and churchman. Proudest of his accomplishments was co-founding Heaven Sent Ministries, a ministry founded to help frontline missionaries, both foreign and domestic to reach the world for Christ. Pete traveled all over the world serving with Heaven Sent Ministries in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Uganda, Ghana and India.

Pete is survived by his wife, Susan Bertrand Espeseth, his daughter and son-in-law, Mindy Ann and William Robert Tatum of Raleigh, N.C., grandchildren, Kayleigh True Scott Tatum and Andrew Peder Roy Tatum. He is also survived by his mother, Thelma Espeseth of Cincinnati, and his brother and sister-in-law Paul and Theresa Espeseth of Naples, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heaven Sent Ministries, P.O. Box 5392, Princeton, WV 24740 or online at www. HSMINC.org.