Our Staff

Ryan was born and raised in Peru, Illinois. He knew from a young age that he wanted to become a funeral director and serve families in their time of need. After graduating from LaSalle-Peru High School, Ryan attended Worsham College of Mortuary Science graduating in 1999. During his time at Worsham, he served as the Vice President of Pi Sigma Eta National Mortuary Science Honors Fraternity. After graduating, he moved to Wisconsin and joined the staff of Pederson Funeral Home. He became co-owner in 2006 and bought the remainder of the business in 2011. Ryan prides himself on providing excellent service to families. He is a licensed funeral director in both Wisconsin and Illinois. It is his sincere desire to share his years of experience in the funeral industry to help the families he serves to select the most appropriate and meaningful celebration for their loved ones. He is very involved in the Watertown and Waterloo communities, serving on many different boards and associations throughout his career. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and rooting for the Packers, Badgers and Brewers. Ryan is married to his lovely wife, Angelia and the Lord has blessed their marriage with three energetic boys, Alex, Ethan and Evan. 

Michael was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. After graduating from Ridgewood Baptist High School, he attended Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, WI. During his time at MBU, he worked for the Pederson-Nowatka Funeral Home and fell in love with serving and assisting families through the loss of their loved ones. It is his passion and sincere desire to help guide and inform families during the funeralization process. He resides in Waterloo and is available to the Waterloo families and community 24/7. He is excited to serve this area for many years to come. Michael has been blessed with two beautiful daughters, Madeline and Juliette. He spends most of his free time with his daughters or out on the golf course. 

Olivia was born and raised in the Watertown area. A 2016 graduate of Watertown High School, she went on to earn a BA from UW-Whitewater in Criminal Justice. During her studies in the field of forensic art, she met a funeral director and decided to pursue the profession. She is a 2022 graduate of the Des Moines Area Community College Mortuary program earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree. After serving her apprenticeship with the Olsen-Gibson Funeral Home of Jefferson, Olivia joined the team at Pederson-Nowatka Funeral Home. It is her heartfelt goal to serve families with the utmost respect, dignity and compassion during their time of loss. She is passionate about creating personalized services that honor and celebrate the life of a families loved one. Olivia is proud to be serving families and the community in her home town where her family has deep roots. She is excited to grow with the firm and continue her career of service. In her free time, Olivia enjoys traveling "Up North" to her family cabin where there is always something to do, such as boating and swimming in summer or snowmobiling in winter. She is an avid reader, and loves to spend time with her pets and family, and create art.