Ruth Erickson

Ruth Frances Mahoney was born on March 5, 1920, to Fred and Minnie (Rud) Mahoney. In her first ten years she was to see films get sound, cars in mass production, frozen food, antibiotics, radio available to all and women in America get the right to vote. She grew up in Drayton, North Dakota alongside her older sister, Sylvia and younger brother, Freddie. Ruth worked in the local drugstore while in high school and shortly after she graduated she met the man who was to be the love of her life, Arnold Erickson. Arnold came from Mentor, MN to her parents farm to help with the harvest and in August of 1939 they were married in the Drayton church parsonage. By 1941 the couple had settled in their home in the Como Park area of St. Paul and started their family. The house on Montana Avenue was a gathering place for many family celebrations. Ruth was energetic and was an active member of the women?s groups at Como Park Lutheran Church while being a full time mother to her daughter, Bonnie and son, Richard. After about twelve years they moved a couple of blocks down the street and she returned to work in sales at a dress shop, a job that allowed her to indulge her passion for fashion. She belonged to a bowling league and at home she loved knitting, crocheting, baking and playing bridge. Life certainly didn?t slow down when she and Arnie moved to Alexandria in 1967. After retiring from Erickson Motors, his business in Falcon Heights, their summers were filled with screams of delight from two grandsons and other young families spending their summer vacations fishing and enjoying the beautiful life on Lake Carlos. She returned to work part time at Bon Jos in the summer and joined friends and family in Texas or traveled the warmer climates until Spring brought them back north. When they moved to a condominium at The Senator in town she made new friends and joined old friends in the festivities and the activities there while continuing as an active member of Bethesda Lutheran Church ? especially in the different women?s organizations. It was at The Senator that Ruth & Arnie celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with everyone who came to congratulate them and wish them well. After a year of assisted living at The Gables, Ruth suffered another of many back fractures due to osteoporosis and went to Knute Nelson Care Center where she died peacefully at the age of ninety. We celebrate her long and happy life. She leaves her devoted husband, Arnold; daughter, Bonnie Erickson & husband, Wayde Harrison of Brooklyn, NY; son, Richard Erickson & wife, Sandra of Alexandria, MN; grandson, Jeremy Erickson of North Branch, MN; brother, Fred Mahoney & wife, Hazel of Edinburg, TX, sister-in-law, Luella Rogers & husband, Norman of Richfield, MN; brother-in-law, David Erickson & wife, Arleen of Perham, MN; many nieces, nephews, and extended family. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, grandson, Christopher Lewis; sister, Sylvia Oby & husband, Edward; nieces: Helen Kay Oby, Linda Kuester; sisters-in-law: Jean, Virginia and Norma Erickson, Margaret Soderquist; brothers-in-law: Wallace, Roger, Harold. She will remain in our thoughts and we will carry her in our hearts. Memorial services were held on Saturday, November 27, 2010, 10:00 a.m. at Bethesda Lutheran Church with Rev. Don Reisig and Rev. Jim Oakland officiating. Burial will be at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria.