Dwite Pedersen (October 20, 1941 – March 16, 2021) was an American politician who served as a
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
state senator from
Elkhorn, Nebraska in the
Nebraska Legislature and a substance abuse counselor.
Personal life
He was born October 20, 1941, in
Chamberlain, South Dakota
Chamberlain is a city in Brule County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Missouri River, at the dammed section of the Lake Francis Case, close to where it is crossed by Interstate 90.
The population of Chambe ...
and graduated from Winner High School in 1960. He attended
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...
and South Dakota Southern State Teachers College, and graduated from
Doane College
Doane University is a private university in Crete, Nebraska. It has additional campuses in Lincoln and Omaha, as well as online programs.
History
Doane College was founded on July 11, 1872, by Thomas Doane, chief civil engineer for the Burling ...
in human relations in 1995. He worked with troubled youth for 35 years being a member of the Nebraska and National Associations of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors and a former
Boys Town counselor and administrator. He was a member of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
He died on March 16, 2021, in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
, at age 79.
State legislature
He was elected in 1992 to represent the 39th Nebraska legislative district and re-elected in 1996, 2000, and 2004. He sat on the Transportation and Telecommunications committee, was the vice chairperson of the Judiciary committee, and chaired the Committee on Committees. He was eulogized on the floor of the Legislature by Senator
Lou Ann Linehan the day following his death.
See also
*
Nebraska Legislature
References
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1941 births
2021 deaths
Republican Party Nebraska state senators
American substance abuse counselors
People from Chamberlain, South Dakota
South Dakota State University alumni