Arly Hess Pedersen
1946 - 2021

Arly Hess Pedersen

Aug 12, 1946 – Jul 11, 2021 "Gone Fishing!"

Arly Pedersen of Bountiful, Utah, passed away unexpectedly, though peacefully, on Sunday, 11 July 2021, in Crookston, MN. He was born in Esbjerg, Denmark on 12 August 1946, to Villiam and Thora Hess (Thomsen) Pedersen and immigrated to America with his family. He later went back to Denmark to serve an LDS mission.

Arly married Charlene Nancy Frost in the Salt Lake Temple on 5 July 1969. Later divorced. Together, they had nine children.

By trade, he was a master pattern maker. Some of his works included the molds for the beehives in front of the capitol building in Salt Lake, as well as several iconic signs still in use in Disney World.

Arly was a devoted husband, father, scoutmaster, neighbor, friend, and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was loving and Christ-like, a friend to all he met. He would go out of his way to help anyone he could.

Besides church, family, and scouting, his passions included patriotism to this country, camping, hiking, fishing, art, sculpting, traveling, and running. He was a member of the American Party and served as its National Chairman for 20+ years. Among his countless races, he ran 52 marathons, the final one being when he was 70 years old. He loved the outdoors! Few people knew the Uintahs as well as he did. His last trip to the Uintah Mountains was a six-day, 40-mile excursion with his scout troop, one week before his passing. Only a few days were separating that adventure from his concluding earthly crusade which found him on a road trip in northern Minnesota with four of his grandsons, intent on going fishing in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". He never stopped truly LIVING his life right to the end.

Preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Ruth; one brother, Melvin; a granddaughter, Aliza; and a great-grandson, Micah.

He is survived by two brothers, David (Pam) and Ezra; his children, Rana (Bruce) Williams, Karen (Doug) Wickliffe, Nathan (Breann) Pedersen, Glendon (Rebekah) Pedersen, Yvonne (Anthony) Wilding, Ezra (Kristy) Pedersen, William (Heather) Pedersen, Donna (Les) Jensen, and Phillip; also 44 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

There will be a viewing at Lake Hills Mortuary at 10055 S State St. in Sandy, on Sunday, July 18th, 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Bountiful 1st ward building at 55 S Main St. in Bountiful on Monday, July 19th at 11:30 with a viewing preceding from 9-11 a.m. at that same location. Scout uniforms are welcome at the services.