Orlando "Eric" Erickson

VIEW VIDEO TRIBUTE

VIEW SERVICE FOLDER

Orlando Fundaun Erickson was born to parents Martin and Julia (Fundaun) Erickson on Friday, January 22, 1915 at their farm near the Erickson family homestead southeast of Orland in Lake County, South Dakota.  He was baptized in the Norwegian language on March 21, 1915 at St. Peter Lutheran Church located on the Erickson homestead. He moved with his parents and sister to his maternal grandparents’ (Fundaun) homestead southeast of Baltic in the fall of 1919. He was the last one confirmed in the Norwegian language in the 4 churches of the Nidaros Congregation on Oct. 6, 1929 at East Nidaros Lutheran Church southeast of Baltic.   He was a 4th generation member of Nidaros.

Orlando attended 8 years of grade school at the Moen country school southeast of Baltic, and he then went to Baltic High School graduating on May 24, 1934. In high school, Orlando was given the nickname “Eric.” After high school, he farmed with his Dad until 1943 when Orlando had a severe case of sunstroke, so he and his parents moved into Baltic in December 1943, where Orlando’s Dad bought the Blacksmith Shop. He helped his Dad work in the Blacksmith shop until Martin sold it in 1962.

On Sunday, May 26, 1957, Eric was married to Lorraine “Lolly” Carson at the First Lutheran Church in Colton.  They made their home in Baltic all of their married life, and were loving parents to their only child, Dale. Eric did custom farm work from 1945 to 1965. He also worked at Peter Schmidt Implement in Dell Rapids selling IH Farmall machinery. After selling out his custom farming machinery, he worked at Brendsel Electric in Baltic, Van’s Implement in Colton, Kayser Implement in Dell Rapids, and Blue Masonry in Sioux Falls, after which he retired in 1979. After retirement, he worked for Chuck Berg west of Baltic, helping with the farming until Chuck’s death in 2007. He also had several hobbies including Norwegian painting, “Rosemaling.”

He served on several local boards including the Baltic Lutheran Church Council, the Town Board of Baltic, Baltic Cooperative Telephone Company, and the Dell Rapids Community Hospital. He also served on the Baltic Volunteer Fire Dept. for over 30 years.

He enjoyed music and dancing all of his life,and beginning in the 1930’s he played drums for the Brende-Brende Orchestra that played for dances in the Baltic – Renner area. He played drums occasionally with other ‘jam sessions,’ but he (on drums) and Lolly (on piano) especially enjoyed playing with the Baltic Accordion Band organized for the Baltic Centennial in 1981 and which continued until 2000. Eric was also a former member of the Nidaros Choir and the Baltic Lutheran Choir.  Lolly passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2015, four days before Eric turned 100.

Orlando was blessed with good health until the last 5 weeks of his life with hospitalizations and rehab therapy.  Orlando passed away in the Dells Nursing & Rehab Center in Dell Rapids on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the age of 104 years, 3 months, and 10 days.  He is lovingly remembered by his son Dale, of Baltic, five nieces, four nephews, and many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Lolly, his parents, his sister Inez (Henry) Johnson, his brother-in-law Walter (Alice) Carson, his sister-in-law, Gyneth (Elmer "Sam") Stene, three nephews, Wallace Stene, Odell and Ivan Johnson, and one niece Carol (Carson) Keeley; and many cousins.

Funeral services will begin at 2:00 PM Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at Baltic Lutheran Church, Baltic.  Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Monday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Baltic.  Burial will be in the East Nidaros Lutheran Cemetery, rural Baltic.