Raymond L. Erickson

Passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family on June 10, 2019. ​Preceded in death by wife, Marie. Survived by children, Mike, Dan (Barb), Sandie Jacobson (Mike Syverson), Barb (David) Perkins; 11 grandchildren; 2 1/2 great grandchildren; brothers, Robert (Lorna) Erickson, James (Verna) Erickson; sister, Janet Davis; nieces, nephews, loving relatives and friends.​Funeral service 10:30 AM Wednesday, June 19 at ST. PAUL REFORMATION LUTHERAN CHURCH, 100 N. Oxford St., St. Paul. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Visitation at MUELLER-BIES FUNERAL HOME-ROSEVILLE, 2130 N. Dale St. @ Cty Rd B from 4-7 PM Tuesday and at the church from 9:30-10:30 AM Wednesday.​Raymond L. Erickson was born on April 29, 1933 to Axel and Elizabeth Erickson in New Folden, MN. Ray grew up in Grand Forks, ND. As a child he loved to spend his summers with his grandparents, Arnold and Sina Folden, at their farm in New Folden. He graduated from Central High School in Grand Forks, and was drafted into the Army in 1953 during the Korean War. Ray was stationed in Germany and traveled around Europe on his days off. He returned to Grand Forks in 1955 and worked for Great Northern Railroad (now BNSF Railroad) for 42 years. Ray was at a dance one evening and spotted a group of young ladies, and one in particular caught his attention because she was laughing. He asked her to dance. Five months later he married Marie O. Hegg on September 15, 1957. They soon made their permanent home in St. Paul after Ray’s job was transferred. Ray and Marie always loved dancing – from the night they met, until after Marie was in a wheelchair. Ray was a member of the American Legion Rose Town, and VFW Spring Lake Park. He and Marie attended many functions, including dances, dinners, blood drives, parties and bingo. Ray and Marie had four children, Mike, Dan, Sandie and Barb, 11 grandchildren and two-and-a-half great grandchildren. Ray enjoyed taking his family on picnics after church on Sundays during the summer. Some of these picnics were to “surprise” destinations – like the Bluffs in Red Wing, a beach park in Mankato, or closer to home at Lake Josephine or Lake Johanna. He was a faithful MN Gopher and MN Twins fan. He loved taking his kids and grandkids to Gopher Hockey games at Mariucci Arena and trips to Grand Forks to see them play against the North Dakota Sioux; and to Twins games. He was a member of the Northliners Club and organized roller skating parties, picnics to Cedar Lake Farms and other family-friendly events. During the summer you would find Ray in his yard tending to the flowers, cutting the grass, painting the fence, or enjoying lunch at the picnic table, with his radio tuned in to WCCO listening to a MN Twins game. In June, Ray would be at area strawberry fields picking strawberries by the bucket full and then delivering them to his kids and grandkids. For the 4th of July he would drive to North Dakota to purchase fireworks (that were illegal in MN), transport them home and put on a display in the alley for the entire neighborhood. Ray enjoyed family gatherings, playing bingo, going to the casino, road trips to North Dakota and surrounding states, and taking his restored 1959 Pontiac Catalina to the “Back to the 50s” car show at the fairgrounds, and other area car shows. If you reached into Ray’s pocket you would probably find a handful of butterscotch candies, lemon drops, root beer barrels, or lots of change that he liked to jingle. Ray loved the MN State Fair and worked the admission gates for 20 years. He loved socializing with the fair-goers, and chatting with the vendors (well, actually he liked wheeling & dealing with them to get some freebies!). He has passed his “negotiation skills” on to his children and grandchildren! Even after he was in assisted living, he would walk to the Fair with his walker (with a basket on the front of it) and bring back food orders for some of the residents. Ray was famous for being a jokester and a rebel. He loved to play practical jokes on his kids, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and his siblings. Sometimes he would be Santa Claus, Little Red Riding Hood, the Easter Bunny, or Claude Kadiddlehopper when calling or answering the phone! One of his favorite sayings, even days before he left us for heaven, was “don’t take any wooden nickels!” Even while bedridden in his last days he joked around with family and staff. He did things his own way. Ray volunteered for several organizations including the American Red Cross, Lyngblomsten, area sporting events, was a blood donor, and was active in his church. After retirement he became one of the “Fix-it Men” on Tuesday’s at church and was known for bringing cookies or treats to the church staff and the Fix-it Men. He liked showing up with treats and putting smiles on people’s faces. He always bought Marie and the kids glazed doughnuts on Saturday mornings. Ray was a very generous, loving, and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, brother, brother-in-law, and friend. He took care of Marie for many years. Ray has been reunited with Marie in Heaven and probably dancing polkas and waltzes together.