Elaine A. Erickson
May 16, 1926 — August 2, 2014
Elaine Amelia (Johnson) Erickson was born May 16, 1926 in Montevideo to Carl and Ruth (Sandberg) Johnson. She grew up in Tunsburg Township. She was baptized in July of 1926 and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church on May 18, 1941.
She attended rural school thru 8th grade at District #5 and graduated from Montevideo High School in 1944. After high school she started a career as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone and worked there for 3 ½ years.
On June 8, 1947 Elaine was united in marriage to Lloyd Erickson at Salem Lutheran Church. To this union five girls were born. They farmed in Tunsberg Township across the section from where she grew up. The family attended Immanuel Lutheran Church, where Elaine was active as a Sunday School Teacher, Superintendent, ALCW, church choir, and various Bible studies. She also served as a 4-H Leader.
Elaine worked for 8 years at MTI retiring in 1978. After Lloyd’s passing, she stayed on the farm for 6 years and then moved to Montevideo in 1993. In 2011, she moved to Granite Falls to be near her daughter and family.
She was an avid gardener, always having fresh vegetables and flowers. Besides gardening, she enjoyed quilting with her church group, crafts and reading. Elaine and Lloyd enjoyed traveling across Minnesota to check out the fishing at many of the lakes. She also took trips to Alabama, Arizona, and Colorado to visit family. A very special trip was taken to Sweden in 2007 to visit her father’s birthplace along with her sister, daughters, and granddaughters.
Elaine is survived by her five daughters: Linda (Denneth) Bakkelund of Granite Falls; Cheryle (Dennis) Larson of Prescott, Arizona; Julie (George) Palko of Glendale, Arizona; Emmy (Philip) Kuhl of Pagosa Springs, Colorado; and Becky (Timothy) Greseth of Prescott, Arizona; grandchildren: Craig (Heidi) Bakkelund, Aaron (Alison) Bakkelund, Thea (Danny) Jaime, Eric Larson, Aime Gjelhaug, Seth (Kelly) Gjelhaug, Adam (Heather) Gjelhaug, George (Heather) Palko, Elizabeth (Stephen) Gallen, James (Kristin) Anderson, Ruth Anderson, William (Lauri) Kuhl, Mara (Tony) Jaros, Michael Kuhl, Christa (Ben) Stehower, Julie (Frank) Hernandez, Kayla (Dakota) Woodard; great grandchildren: Taylor and Jordan Bakkelund, Jakob Pringle, Janessa Bakkelund, Anika Larson, Kylin and Kendal Gjelhaug, Austin and Aiden Gjelhaug, Elena Anderson, Preston Kolkman, Enzo and Hudson Kuhl, Ryland and Charlotte Stehower, Severiano Hernandez; sister Helen Peterson of Montevideo; sisters-in-law: Carol Johnson of Findly, Ohio; Jean (Walter) Kittleson of Huntsville, Alabama; and other extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Carl and Ruth; husband Lloyd in 1987; brother, Robert (Bob) Johnson, nephew Greg Johnson, grandsons: Matthew Gjelhaug and Jonathan Greseth, and one great grandson: Hunter Bakkelund.
She attended rural school thru 8th grade at District #5 and graduated from Montevideo High School in 1944. After high school she started a career as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone and worked there for 3 ½ years.
On June 8, 1947 Elaine was united in marriage to Lloyd Erickson at Salem Lutheran Church. To this union five girls were born. They farmed in Tunsberg Township across the section from where she grew up. The family attended Immanuel Lutheran Church, where Elaine was active as a Sunday School Teacher, Superintendent, ALCW, church choir, and various Bible studies. She also served as a 4-H Leader.
Elaine worked for 8 years at MTI retiring in 1978. After Lloyd’s passing, she stayed on the farm for 6 years and then moved to Montevideo in 1993. In 2011, she moved to Granite Falls to be near her daughter and family.
She was an avid gardener, always having fresh vegetables and flowers. Besides gardening, she enjoyed quilting with her church group, crafts and reading. Elaine and Lloyd enjoyed traveling across Minnesota to check out the fishing at many of the lakes. She also took trips to Alabama, Arizona, and Colorado to visit family. A very special trip was taken to Sweden in 2007 to visit her father’s birthplace along with her sister, daughters, and granddaughters.
Elaine is survived by her five daughters: Linda (Denneth) Bakkelund of Granite Falls; Cheryle (Dennis) Larson of Prescott, Arizona; Julie (George) Palko of Glendale, Arizona; Emmy (Philip) Kuhl of Pagosa Springs, Colorado; and Becky (Timothy) Greseth of Prescott, Arizona; grandchildren: Craig (Heidi) Bakkelund, Aaron (Alison) Bakkelund, Thea (Danny) Jaime, Eric Larson, Aime Gjelhaug, Seth (Kelly) Gjelhaug, Adam (Heather) Gjelhaug, George (Heather) Palko, Elizabeth (Stephen) Gallen, James (Kristin) Anderson, Ruth Anderson, William (Lauri) Kuhl, Mara (Tony) Jaros, Michael Kuhl, Christa (Ben) Stehower, Julie (Frank) Hernandez, Kayla (Dakota) Woodard; great grandchildren: Taylor and Jordan Bakkelund, Jakob Pringle, Janessa Bakkelund, Anika Larson, Kylin and Kendal Gjelhaug, Austin and Aiden Gjelhaug, Elena Anderson, Preston Kolkman, Enzo and Hudson Kuhl, Ryland and Charlotte Stehower, Severiano Hernandez; sister Helen Peterson of Montevideo; sisters-in-law: Carol Johnson of Findly, Ohio; Jean (Walter) Kittleson of Huntsville, Alabama; and other extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Carl and Ruth; husband Lloyd in 1987; brother, Robert (Bob) Johnson, nephew Greg Johnson, grandsons: Matthew Gjelhaug and Jonathan Greseth, and one great grandson: Hunter Bakkelund.
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