PEDERSEN

DARLENE D.

Darlene D. Pedersen, 80, author, publishing executive, nurse psychotherapist, mother

Darlene D. Pedersen, 80, of Bryn Mawr, died Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ms. Pedersen was formerly Senior Vice President and Editorial Director at WB Saunders (Elsevier) over Medicine, Nursing, and Health Related Publishing, Philadelphia. She also served as the liaison to the London office (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) and traveled extensively abroad, including throughout Asia. Ms. Pedersen also held positions as Editor-in-Chief of Medicine and Health Related Publishing as well as Senior Acquisitions Editor, at Saunders. She successfully acquired textbooks in the areas of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, including Rakel: Saunders Manual of Medical Practice, Bibbo: Comprehensive Cytopathology, Fonseca: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ehrlich: Essentials of Dental Assisting, Auer: Equine Surgery, Willard: Small Animal Diagnosis by Laboratory Methods, Ibsen: Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist, Walton: Principles and Practice of Endodontics and Pinkham: Pediatric Dentistry, to name a few. It was an honor for Ms. Pedersen to work closely as an editor with leaders in their fields, including David Sabiston (Surgery), Arthur Guyton (Medical Physiology), Robert Kirk and Steve Ettinger (Veterinary Medicine), and Hazel Torres and Ann Ehrlich (Dental Assisting). Ms. Pedersen was the Editor for the 20th edition of the classic work in medicine by Bennett and Plum: Cecil Textbook of Medicine. Her publishing career included positions at JB Lippincott Company (Wolters Kluwer) early on in her career, also, MedCases (online case studies), Thomson Physicians World (medical education), and finally as Director of Content Strategy, Nursing, at FA David Company, Philadelphia. Ms. Pedersen always remained true to the high standards of the publishing and scientific communities, focusing on quality and accuracy of content, as well as supporting the introduction of important new ideas, while transitioning to the use and value of new media and electronic product in educating the next generation of students and professionals.

Ms. Pedersen's nursing career began in Connecticut, where she graduated from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, with a BS degree in Nursing. She received her clinical training at Yale-New Haven Hospital and practiced as an RN at both Yale-New Haven as well as the VA Hospital in West Haven. Her experiences included surgical floor nursing and community health. She also did part-time private duty nursing (Yale-New Haven Hospital) for a time to spend more time with her family and young son. Her husband, Larry Pedersen, was obtaining a PhD in biochemistry at Yale when they first met and married in New Haven at Yale Divinity School.

Ms. Pedersen then attended the University of British Columbia (Canada) (1973) in the graduate program in nursing education and psych, also contributing modules for a Basic Nursing Skills Module book authored by a professor (Quiring) at UBC; while Larry Pedersen pursued a post-doctoral education at UBC. After a year in BC, Ms. Pedersen and her then husband Larry moved to the Philadelphia area to pursue their respective careers.

In 1997, Ms. Pedersen graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, with an MSN degree in nursing with a focus on Adult and Geriatric Psychiatric Nursing. She then became board certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (ANCC) in Adult Psychiatric Mental Health, after internships and supervision at the Sanctuary, Friends Hospital and The Wellness Community, Philadelphia. Ms. Pedersen began her practice as a nurse psychotherapist.

In 2005, Ms. Pedersen published the first edition of PsychNotes: Clinical Pocket Guide with FA Davis Company, which is now in its 4th edition. PsychNotes won the 2013 American Journal of Nursing's "Book of the Year" Award. She has also published a psychotropic quick reference entitled: Pocket Psych Drugs: Point-of-Care Clinical Guide, also published by FA Davis Company, Philadelphia. She was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, Xi chapter and is published in Who's Who in America.

Ms. Pedersen was born in Westbrook, Maine in 1945, just as the war ended, but raised in Connecticut, the daughter of Richard and Leona (nee Dandeneau). She is survived by her only son, Jorgen David, who resides in Pittsburgh with his wife Jessica and sons, Isaac and Miles. She is also survived by her former husband, Larry David Pedersen, of Arizona, as well as her sisters, Andrea Cater and Sherri Christy, who reside in Connecticut, along with her nieces, Tanya [Aldi] and Kier [Wood] and great-nieces, Raine and Kloe, and great-nephews, Jacob, Jared, and Jonah. She is also survived by her long-term friend, Cathy Korman and by many cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cancer Support Community (previously The Wellness Community), 4100 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19102 or The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, 418 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 AM until noon, with a service immediately following, celebrating Ms. Pedersen's life. Ms. Pedersen will then be interred at Laurel Hill West Cemetery, with a small celebration to follow for family and friends in the Atrium of LAUREL HILL FUNERAL HOME.