Petra Amanda Pedersen Derring

Petra was satisfied with the simple pleasures in life. She needed very little to get along and be happy. She never felt deprived or envious of what other people had. She graciously accepted things others had given her, whether she used them or not. Petra especially liked what was offered her if that gift was something good to eat.

Petra was a frequent visitor to the homes of the elderly ladies of the neighborhood and to those who lived in the Alberta neighborhood of Portland, Oregon where she grew up. She loved being in the company of these women, and each and every one of them loved Petra's visits by greeting and welcoming her like their very own daughter, or like the daughter they wished they had. In the cozy warmth and comfort of these homes, coffee or tea would be served along with homemade cakes, cookies and freshly baked bread right out of the oven. Petra, in as much, served these women's needs as being the attentive listener and visitor, which in turn gave them much joy. Petra gladly made the time to visit these women, not because she felt obligated to, or was told to, and without reason or thought, simply because it was the nice thing to do.

Petra was born Petra Amanda Pedersen to Endre and Otelie Pedersen. She came from Northern Norway above the Arctic Circle on the Island of Kjerringøy and from the section of Fjaere. Petra was named after Endre's father Peter. Petra's family also referred to her as Amy, a nickname derived from her middle name Amanda.

In 1907, Endre, Otelie, Petra and her one year old sister Esther emigrated to America and took up residence here in Portland. In birth, Petra was a Norwegian citizen, and in death she maintained her Norwegian citizenship, yet she was an American through and through.

By 1908 the Pedersen family began to grow again with the birth of a third daughter Caroline, followed by the one and only son Henry Olaf Aaron, who at two years old tragically died of Spinal Meningitis. Then came a fourth daughter Jennie, then Helen, and last of all, Verna.

Around this same time frame, Petra's grandmother Ane Pedersen along with her four sons Simon, Waldemar, Bernof (Albert), John, and three daughters Anna, Elisabeth, and Constine also emigrated to Portland. Petra's father and several of his brothers initially made their living fishing the six-month seasonal run of salmon in the Bering Sea of the coast of Alaska. Along with the skills needed to be fishermen, nearly all were experienced hands or masters at woodworking, woodcarving, scrimshaw, and builders of ships in bottles. They hand fashioned toys, dolls, utensils, furniture, and home décor. Being expert knot-tiers, the Pedersen clan, men and women both could either knit, crotchet, weave, embroider or tat lace. They created a legacy of beauty and grace for the family and for the home. Petra, herself, was most prolific with the amount of crocheted items she created that included finely crafted tablecloths and bedspreads. Petra's creative talent was not merely a hobby or a way of filling time, but it was in essence, a way of making life meaningful to her. It was a labor of love, and appreciated as such, for those fortunate to have been the recipients of her gifted skills and handiwork.

Petra attended Vernon Grade School in the Alberta neighborhood, and later, Behnke Walker Business College. Prior to her marriage in August of 1926 to Conrad Deering a Volga German immigrant wood finisher, Petra's places of employment were with Booth's Cannery in Astoria, Kaufmans Restaurant in downtown Portland, and the Ames and Harris Bag & Trunk Factory.

Between May 20th of 1927 to Oct. 3rd of 1939, the five children born to Petra and Conrad were Donna Marie, Shirley Jean, Carol Elaine, Nancy Ann and Roy Conrad. In the years to follow, there were fifteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild on the way at the time of her death.

Among the many admirable qualities attributed to Petra was that she was not a moaner, whiner or complainer. This had a lot to say about her positive inner strength.

Petra was a quiet, reserved, polite person as well as a good listener and observer. She was a dear sweetheart of a person, a true comfort and joy to be around and spend time with. She had no airs of pretentiousness about her. She was not a complex person to have to try and figure out, nor was she troubled or troublesome. She spoke and acted simply and directly. She wasn't the kind of person that was gossipy or would have bad things to say about people. Petra never understood why people couldn't get along, and why countries instead of having wars, would not just trade back and forth. She adoringly retained her youthful innocence as well as having retained the good memories of her life, and if there was anything bad, she kept it to herself, or most likely chose to forget it. Feelings never got bottled up in her with a want or need to talk with someone with what might be troubling her.

Petra's greatest accomplishment near and dear to her heart was the raising of her children. Nothing came before that. Whenever her children would leave home for school or to catch the bus, there you would see her standing out on the front porch waving them goodbye until they were clear up the street and out of sight. In the latter part of the day she was there to greet them as soon as they arrived back home. You could count on her to have deliciously prepared comfort food simmering away on top of the old wood cook stove. Any family member or friend, upon entering the home, was instantly drawn by the enticing aromas emitting from the kitchens wood cook stove, declaring, "What's cooking Mom?" "What's cooking Petra?" Clear up until the mid-1970s she cooked on a wood stove that also served as the heat source in the family's 1892 Queen Anne Victorian home. When not serving others, Petra could be found out in her garden tending to her most cherished roses.

Petra was not out to save the world but she most assuredly was there to give comfort, loving grace and guidance to her family.

Written by Roy Conrad Derring