Laura Amelia Erickson

Published Monday, July 25, 2005 12:06:53 PM Central Time
Ironwood Daily Globe

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -- Laura Amelia Erickson, 83, of Ironwood Township, died early Thursday morning, July 21, 2005, at Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff, Wis.

She was born in Lapua, Vaasan Laani, Finland, on Dec. 7, 1921, daughter of the late John and Senja (Sippola) Tiitu. With her mother, she left Finland on her first birthday to join her father in the United States. She lived in Wakefield and attended school there through the seventh grade before moving to Ironwood Township to reside on a farm. She attended schools in Ironwood and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School.

She was married to Edwin Carl Erickson of Iron Belt, Wis., in 1940 and had 64 years of wonderful marriage. He preceded her in death on March 14, 2004.

Laura resided in Chicago with her family from 1941 to 1949 where she worked as a sales lady at a bakery and a clerk at Montgomery Ward. They then returned to Ironwood to operate a dairy farm until their retirement in 1973, after which Laura went to work at Ironwood Products for 10 more years. After their retirement, they spent many winters in Albuquerque, N.M., as two of their children and families live there, and they enjoyed the milder climate.

Laura enjoyed gardening, reading, trout fishing with her dear husband, her church and circle, and she loved her family and socializing with her many friends and relatives at coffee shops and bingo. She was a member of 4H while a teenager, the Michigan Milk Producers Association, St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ironwood, Paula Women, and its Grace Circle. She exhibited garden produce, canning and baked goods and Finn cheese at the Gogebic County Fair for 70 years. In 1996, she was Homemaker of the Year.

Surviving are two sons, Donald (Barb), of Mountain, Wis., and Paul (Diane), Albuquerque, and a daughter, Joyce (Harold) Erickson, also of Albuquerque; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren: Dr. Dale (Pam) Erickson along with Elisa and Alex of Katy, Texas, Christine (Todd) Jaeger with Ashley, Sarah, and Joshua of Tucson, Ariz., Dr. Denise Erickson, of Gilbert, Ariz., Brittany Erickson of Albuquerque, Erika (Todd) Anderson along with Hannah, Alexis, and a baby due in December, of Wausau, Wis., Derek (Julie) Erickson with Emma and a baby due in September, of Green Bay, Wis., Greta (Jerry) Goffinet with Kaitlyn, Emilee, and Madison of Lake Villa, Ill., and Ingrid (John) Landry with Keenan, Morgan, Carson and Grace of Green Bay; a brother, Ben (Renee) Tiitu of Ironwood; a niece, Mavis (Lou) Callovi, of St. Paul, Minn., and many dear friends.

Laura considered her husband's family close and very dear to her. Ed's nieces are Gena (Ole) Erickson, Loretta (Bernie) Walquist, Carol Linn, and Lorraine Thenen, and nephew Brian (Gail) Buccanero, and numerous grandnieces and nephews.

Besides her parents and husband, Laura was preceded in death by a great-grandson, Adam Jaeger, of Tucson, Ariz.

Funeral services will be held Monday, July 25, at 11 a.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 111 S. Curry St., Ironwood, with the Rev. Julie Ann Summers officiating.

Committal services and interment will follow in Sunset Acres Cemetery, Ironwood Township.

Luncheon will be served in the church fellowship hall immediately upon return from the cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home in Ironwood, and again from 10 a.m. until service time at the church on Monday.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Dale Erickson, Derek Erickson, Todd Jaeger, Todd Anderson, John Landry, Jerry Goffinet, and LeRoy Moorhead.

McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood, is in charge of arrangements.