Harry Erickson

Memorial services for Harry Erickson will be held on Thursday, August 16th at 2:00 p.m. at Indherred Lutheran Church, rural Starbuck.  Reverend Paul Johnson will be officiating. Visitation will be on Wednesday, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Starbuck Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday.  Burial will be at the Indherred Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Harry Carlton Erickson was born February 28, 1926 on his home farm three miles east of Starbuck, MN.  He was baptized April 26, 1926 and confirmed on March 17, 1940 by Rev. G.O. Forde.  He received his elementary education in the Green Valley Dist. 12 School and high school education in Starbuck.  In his senior year, he was called into the United States Army on February 28, 1945 during World War II and served two years.  After he returned home from the service, he was employed at the Starbuck Creamery Company for 20 years.

He was united in marriage to Ada Mae DeCamp on July 12, 1953, where they built a home in Starbuck residing there for 13 years.  Four sons were born into this union, Paul, David, Daniel, and Kelly.  Needing more room for their four sons, they purchased a farm four miles west of Starbuck, where they resided for 23 years.  During that time, he was a builder being one of the first to construct pole type buildings in Pope County.  He worked building, farming, and hauling milk.  The boys were a big help in making the farm a success.  They also blessed the family with four beautiful daughters-in-law who in turn blessed them with eight wonderful grandchildren.  In 1989, he built a new home for he and Ada to retire in and Kelly purchased the farm.  He continued to build and remodel homes, barns and other agricultural buildings and help his boys whenever necessary.  Over the last eight years, his grandchildren blessed him with ten great-grandchildren.

Harry’s family brought much joy and happiness to his life. He also enjoyed dancing, traveling, storytelling and building things.  He was a lifetime member of Indherred Lutheran Church, council member, choir member and active in VFW Club of which he served as commander in 1984.  The last four years of his life he resided at the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck where he was called home on August 11, 2018.  He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, neighbor and friend who will be greatly missed.

Harry is survived by his wife, Ada of Starbuck; sons: Paul (Pamela) Erickson of Glenwood, David (Peggy) Erickson of Alexandria, Daniel (Tammy) Erickson of North Saint Paul, MN, Kelly (Audrey) Erickson of Starbuck; 8 grandchildren: Jackie (Tom) Friend of Decatur, IL, Kevin (Amy) Erickson of Glenwood, Nicole Erickson of Fargo, ND, Holly (Nate) Tahtinen of Lowry, Laura (Zack Walstad) Erickson of Glenwood, Katie Erickson of St. Paul, Neal (Megan) Erickson of Starbuck and Emily Erickson of North Saint Paul; 10 great-grandchildren: Weston and Kash Erickson, Gracynn and Hudson Walstad, Ava, Gabriel and Benjamin Friend, Lydia, Tenison and Sullivan Tahtinen; brother, Arthur Erickson of Glenwood; sister, Gladys Sather of Starbuck; sister-in-law Marilyn Erickson of Starbuck and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister: Ida Martens; brothers: Leonard and Ellsworth Erickson; brothers-in-law: Paul Sather and Louis Martens and sisters-in-law: Irene Erickson and Helen Erickson.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Rice Hospice - 301 Becker Avenue SW, Willmar, MN or Minnewaska Lutheran Home – Resident Activity Program (Make checks to MLH – Resident Activity Program) P.O. Box 40, Starbuck, MN 56381.

Starbuck Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.